Recall Petitions Filed Against THREE Planning Board Members; Lancaster rolls its collective eyes.

Really?

The Lancaster Board of Registrars met in the Clerk's Office at 10AM this morning to certify signatures on recall petitions for three Planning Board Members:  Roy Mirabito, Carol Jackson, and Peter Christoph.

The three registrars -- new chair Elizabeth Cahill, Mary Perreira, and Heather LeBlanc -- reviewed the signatures on the "Initial Recall Petitions" and verified that the names and addresses listed corresponded with those of registered voters in Lancaster.   They worked with the Interim Town Clerk, Jim Mullen, and the Assistant Town Clerk, Amie Martin.   Also present was the Town Administrator, Kate Hodges and the Police Chief, Everett Moody.

Here are copies the three signed petitions:
    Roy Mirabito
    Carol Jackson
    Peter Christoph

This is the third recall attempt in the past year from Ryan Aldrich and Jeanne Rich.   Jeanne Rich is the Chair the Lancaster Zoning Board of Appeals, and Ryan Aldrich is/was as member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.   

The "First Ten" signatures on each petition -- these are the individuals who will now receive recall petitions to collect signatures from 10% of the town's registered voters -- are:

1.    Ryan Aldrich
2.    Jeanne Rich
3.    John J. King Jr
4.    Kendra Dickinson
5.    Matt Rainha
6.    Francis G. Sullivan
7.    Robert Jones
8.    Walter Sendrowski
9.    Jesse Tarbell
10.  Christine Burke

On each affidavit the signers attest to some reasons for recall "under the penalty of perjury."  

For Roy Mirabito, those reasons are:

• That he refuses to hold a meeting in regard to a zone change in timely manner.
• That he uses his position, as a means of dictating his personal agenda, not allowing other opinions to be heard
• That he, refuses to work cooperatively with other town boards to advance the best interest for the town.

For Carol Jackson, those reasons are:

• That she refuses to hold a meeting in regard to a zone change in timely manner.
• That she, refuses to work cooperatively with other town boards to advance the best interest for the town.
• That she has acted unprofessionally and made negative comments publicly concerning a hired consultant.
• That she has made unprofessional and disparaging comments of other board members.
• That she has continued to waste taxpayers’ funds by the continued and unnecessary use of Town Counsel services.
• That she fails to understand her role as a Planning Board member and engages in collusion with the Conservation Commission.

For Peter Christoph, those reasons are:

• That he refuses to hold a meeting in regard to a zone change in timely manner.
• That he uses his position, as a means of dictating his personal agenda, not allowing other opinions to be heard.
• That he, refuses to work cooperatively with other town boards to advance the best interest for the town.

On July 11th the Clerk indicated that he would have a "police officer" deliver "Recall Petition Sheets" to the first 10 signers of the initial recall petition.   According to the law, they then have 30 days from the date of delivery of the recall petition sheets to file the signed recall petition sheets with the town clerk which shall contain the signatures, names and street addresses of at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in the town.

Presumably the deadline to return those sheets would be August 10th -- if they're certified, the Select Board would then schedule a recall election.

Here's a link to the state law that allows for recalls in Lancaster: Chapter 137 of the Acts of 2014