Finance Commissioner George Elias Faces Ouster Campaign Over Chronic Board Absences

Political cartoon depicting a recall campaign against Finance Commissioner George Elias, featuring key figures and their statements regarding his performance and potential ouster.

A recall petition to remove first-year Finance Commissioner George Elias from office is expected soon, according to separate statements last night by a fellow FinCom member and a concerned resident. Mr. Elias of 2 Weld Ave., who was elected to a one-year term on the FinCom when it was expanded from three to five members in January, has not attended a FinCom meeting since long before May town meeting and has not responded to two registered letters from his colleagues asking him if he plans to resign. Finance Commissioner Allan D. Howard, who had earlier talked of instituting the recall procedure against Mr. Elias, said last night that that would not be necessary because the move was “imminent” already.

Dominic J. Puopolo of 130 Ridgewood Drive, a resident whose letter to the editor of The Patriot Ledger called for Mr. Elias’ resignation, said he would rather not comment when asked if he knew of a recall move because he expects action soon. Calling the situation “a very disgusting mess,” Mr. Howard said that Mr. Elias had attended few FinCom meetings and had participated in no subcommittee activity or special outside meetings. Another finance commissioner, William C. Phipps, recalled Mr. Elias’ anger early in the budget review this year when the FinCom voted to cut a $500 consultant fee to the building inspector for attending night meetings, stating, “I don’t remember one single motion he initiated to cut a budget.” Mr. Howard charged, “It appeared from what he did on the committee that he was just a rubber stamp.”

Mr. Elias could not be reached for comment last night. However, he has commented earlier that he will not resign because he wants to save the town the cost of a special election that would then be necessary. In November, when his resignation would not mean a special election because it would be less than two months until the annual town election, Mr. Elias has said he might consider resigning. Last night, Mr. Phipps asked that Mr. Elias show his sincerity about resigning in the fall by submitting a signed letter to that effect. Then, he said, a residents’ move to begin recall proceedings might be forestalled. According to the recall procedure outlined in the town charter, any resident may sign an affidavit stating the grounds for which he is asking recall and then receive petitions on which he must obtain 200 signatures. If the 200 signatures are obtained, the town clerk must notify selectmen, who must then call a new election within 35 days.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger