Taxpayer Launches Petition Drive Target Against FinCom Member Elias
A local taxpayer has initiated formal recall procedures against a sitting member of the Finance Committee, bringing administrative rules within the town’s governance charter to the forefront.
Mr. Puopolo charged last night that FinCom member Mr. Elias “was elected to do a job, but walked away from it.” Mr. Puopolo added that “this leaves the taxpayers up the creek.” A colleague of Mr. Elias on the FinCom, Allan D. Howard, had earlier mentioned that he might himself file recall papers against Mr. Elias if he continued to refuse to resign. That was before Mr. Puopolo’s action. On Thursday, Allan D. Howard said his seeking recall would be unnecessary because such action was already imminent.
Mr. Puopolo said last night that Town Clerk Bartley W. Connolly will review his affidavit today, and that he will pick up the recall petition papers this afternoon and immediately circulate them. He said he hopes to gather more than the 200 registered voters’ signatures required to force a recall election. According to the recall procedure outlined in Norwood’s charter, he would legally have 20 days from the date of his affidavit (until July 11) to obtain the necessary signatures.
Also according to the town’s recall laws, the town clerk then has five days from the filing of the signed petitions to certify the validity of the names and pass them on to selectmen, who must notify the officer being recalled of the recall action. If the officer does not then resign within five days, the selectmen must call an election for a Tuesday not less than 25, but not more than 35, days from the date the petition was certified. The officer whose removal from office is sought may be a candidate in the recall election, and his name would be placed on the ballot without nomination unless he requests in writing that it not be, according to the charter. Other nominations and the recall election itself are supposed to be conducted as in regular town elections.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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