Group applies for petition

MAT-SU -- The Mat-Su Borough mayor, at Tuesday's borough assembly meeting, was "served" with a recall petition by the president of a recently formed political action group.

"Here's a petition that's been certified to start the recall process," Bill Moll, president of Citizens to Restore Open and Honest Government (CROHG), told Mayor Tim Anderson as he handed Anderson the petition during the audience participation portion of the meeting.

The petition was signed by 10 Mat-Su borough residents, according to state law, and contained reasons for Anderson's recall. The application stated that the grounds of the recall are "misconduct in office, incompetence and failure to perform prescribed duties."

The petition further stated that those charges stem from a recently decided civil case, in which Palmer Superior Court Judge Eric Smith found the borough violated the state's Open Meetings Act and the Public Records Act.

Discussion surrounding the petition began during the Sept. 4 assembly meeting. When asked why CROHG waited until Tuesday to file the petition, Moll, in a Wednesday telephone interview, said the resolution requesting Duffy's resignation Tuesday had a lot to do with it.

"John Duffy's resignation might [have done] a lot to calm the situation," Moll said. "We decided we're not going to crowd the assembly . . . they should have a graceful way out."

But Moll handed out the petition before the resolution was discussed -- and the assembly did not request Duffy's resignation.

CROHG treasurer Jim Turner, a former borough assembly member, said the timing was less for effect than as a result of the timing of life.

"We've pretty much tried to move it forward at a steady pace," Turner said. "From our point of view, it needs to be kept in the people's minds more than anything."

Turner said the primary issue of discontent with Anderson's actions stems from the violations found by Smith.

"We're going to hang it all on the violation of the law," Turner said, "[and] what we believe is a pattern of misbehavior."

Now that the recall petition has been filed, it will go before borough clerk Sandra Dillon for approval. Dillon, in a press release issued Wednesday, said she will take the next few weeks to determine whether the application meets criteria set out in state law, whether the petition sponsors are valid and whether the grounds of the recall are legitimate.

Moll said approximately 400 people have pledged their willingness to help obtain signatures as soon as the petition is released.

If Dillon approves the petition, CROHG will have 60 days to secure the signatures of 2,323 people, one quarter of the number of voters who cast their ballots in the mayoral race during the last election.

If the signatures are obtained, an election must be held 45 to 75 days after a petition is deemed valid. The outcome of the election is decided by majority vote.

Anderson said he believes he has held to the issues on which he campaigned -- providing open and honest government -- and won, with 4,800 votes in his favor.

He said he's surprised he's the target of the recall petition, since the borough government is structured with a weak mayor, who may not vote on policy matters or make day-to-day decisions within the borough government. "I'm, at the same time, flattered that they feel I have this power," Anderson said, chuckling.