Tulsa City Council approves recall petition but does not set an election date

Friday, March 25th 2005, 6:17 am

By: News On 6

The Tulsa city council did not set a recall election for councilors Chris Medlock and Jim Mautino, but they did approve the recall petition signatures. Five â€˜Yesâ€™ votes were needed to set a recall election and there were only 4.

It was a long and contentious meeting. And News on 6 reporter Ashli Sims says the recall fight is far from over.

City councilors Chris Medlock and Jim Mautino left the meeting to the sound of cheers from their supporters. But that was just the beginning of the debate over the recall.

12 speakers took to the podium, all in support of Mautino and Medlock, and all against the recall. Mr. Westcott: "you folks tonight have the opportunity to put this thing to rest and end it right here.â€ Emotions ran high and individual councilors were put on the spot. Karen Miles: "I would like to ask you a very simple question do you support the recall of Medlock and Mautino.â€

The Coalition for Responsible Government started the recall effort against Mautino and Medlock, calling them anti-growth and claiming they have alienated the city's neighbors. They gathered about 1,200 signatures in districts two and six to force a recall election.

Anti-recall supporters claim those petition signatures are not valid because they were not matched against the signatures on the official voter rolls. They say that's what the city charter requires. "If I know my councilor is malfeasance in his duty by intentionally breaking our city charger then I can't face my fellow citizens I would have to initiate a recall petition against my own councilor.â€

The city attorney and the mayor disagree with that interpretation of the charter. And so did several council members, but Roscoe Turner and Jack Henderson, both councilors who have often been allies of Mautino and Medlock, sided with the crowd. Jack Henderson: "and it is obvious that this recall should have never happened and this petition has never been circulated and not be certified.â€

The date of the recall election is still up in the air. Chris Medlock and Jim Mautino both say this matter could end up in court.