« County helps Bradwood make the bed (video) | Main | Recall targets two over LNG »

RECALL ANN SAMUELSON

Contact:  Marc Auerbach, 503 755-2415 or 503 701-1437
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
IN THE WAKE OF A CONTROVERSIAL BRADWOOD LANDING DECISION, VOTERS INITIATE RECALL EFFORT
Democracy in District 5 (DID5.org) today announced it had filed papers in Clatsop County to recall Commissioner Ann Samuelson.
Because of her continued irresponsible performance, a group of local citizens feels it had no choice but to seek a Recall Election to remove Commissioner Samuelson from office. “A hefty majority of Clatsop County voters are fed up with three commissioners who have steadily ignored the popular sentiment that is opposed to an LNG terminal at Bradwood.” (The Daily Astorian, 7-15-3009). This morning one of those three commissioners faces potential recall from a group calling itself Democracy in District 5 (DID5.org).
The group plans to have volunteers with petitions at the Cannon Beach and Seaside post offices Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. starting Friday July 24th.
“Commissioner Samuelson’s repeated votes in support of an LNG facility on the Columbia River in the face of a 67% vote against LNG related pipelines, overwhelming and negative public comment, and the facts in the LUBA remand case, left us no choice but recall to ensure the will of the people is followed,” said Betsy Ayres, Chief Petitioner and resident of Cannon Beach.
Commissioner Samuelson is no stranger to controversy. She was recalled from the Jewell School Board on May 20, 2008.
In January 2009, the Oregon Ethics Commission found that she had attended illegally held meetings on three separate occasions while on the school board.
In July 2009 she was removed from her appointed position as precinct committee person for the Democratic Party.
“Commissioner Samuelson recently described herself as, ‘a pretty tough broad’. What’s tough is getting through to her even when the message is loud and clear,” commented constituent Carolyn Eady of Jewell.
The reasons for the recall action cited in the Petition are the following.
By her actions as a Clatsop County Commissioner, Ann Samuelson, has harmed the future of Clatsop County and its residents through:

  • Repeatedly voting in support of proposals overwhelming opposed by the public, and the objections of professional staff.
  • Squandering public funds by choosing to hire planning and management consultants and expensive attorneys but disregarding their professional advice and findings;
  • Squandering public funds by unnecessary, unproductive and ill-advised travel;
  • Undermining common values, adopted plans, established policies, and regulations of the County;
  • Failing to be open and transparent in decision- making and development of policy, violating the spirit of public meetings law;
  • Ignoring and failing to respond to the advice and concerns of paid staff, volunteer committees, and the public;
  • Manipulating the membership of the Planning Commission in order to control the Planning Commission's decisions and actions;
  • Endangering the public and disregarding public safety by failing to require funding guarantees for emergency services and personnel from major industrial proposals;
  • Creating a divisive environment that is acrimonious and counterproductive in doing the public's business.
Once the Recall Petition has been accepted and approved by the County Clerk, recall supporters will have up to 90 days to collect the roughly 500 signatures necessary to force a recall election. When the signed petitions are submitted, the county will have 10 days to verify the signatures and then Commissioner Samuelson will have 5 days to either resign or respond. If she resigns, she leaves office immediately. Otherwise, the recall election must be held within 35 days.
All registered voters who live in Samuelson’s district (District 5) are eligible to sign the petition.
The official description of the district is as follows: DISTRICT 5 covers the area from Sunquist Road in Seaside east of U.S. 101, and Cannon Beach, Arch Cape south to the Tillamook County line, east to the Columbia and Washington county lines, including Hamlet and Jewell.
Precincts: Cannon Beach (20), Elsie (24), Hamlet (26), Jewell (28), Necanicum (35), Seaside (37), Seaside (40) and Arch Cape (45).
Information about DID5 and the recall effort is posted at the recall website, www.DID5.org
Donations may be sent to the following address:
PO Box 896
Seaside, OR 97138

July 21, 2009 | Permalink

Comments

I need to hear more of this woman who thinks that she is tough broad. When it comes to tough broads she is far cry from it. I think of eliz. cady stanton, gertrude stein, my mother etc., but she does not compute. Is she a real person or a figment of the conservative mindset? Take lng and SINK IT!

Posted by: christopher hansen | Aug 11, 2009 2:45:28 PM

Post a comment