It’s official. There will be an election this spring to recall three leftist members of the Palmer City Council.
On Jan. 21, the City Clerk Shelly Acteson confirmed that petitioners had gathered the necessary signatures to place Sebrena Combs, Brian Daniels and Jill Valerius up for a recall vote. Petitioners needed 169 valid signatures to approve the recall. They submitted about 290 for each candidate, which was more than enough once the clerk verified the names.
“All three are moving forward. All three had enough signatures,” Acteson said.
Recall organizer Cindy Hudgins said petitioners likely could have gathered many more signatures, but violent windstorms swept through the Mat-Su during the final days of signature gathering.
According to Alaska law, the petition must be submitted to the city council at its next meeting, not for approval, but as part of the formal process. That will happen on Feb. 8 From there the city has 45 to 75 days to hold the election.
Acteson said she is not aware of Palmer ever holding a recall election in the past.
The current push to recall the three council members gained steam after a city-initiated investigation last year found that they likely violated Alaska law prohibiting elected officials from meeting in quorum to privately discuss matters they are empowered to act on as council members.
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Combs, Daniels and Valerius, along with former Councilwoman Julie Berberich, were part of a private Facebook group – Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice. The leftist organization advocates for political and social issues such as critical race theory, community oversight of police, mask mandates, Black Lives Matter protest marches and other causes.
According to the city financed investigation, the council members in question discussed mask mandates and other controversial matters in the private Facebook group. The investigation concluded that a court would likely find that the council members’ private discourse in a closed Facebook group was a violation of Alaska’s Open Meetings Act, and a failure to perform their duties of office.
Hudgins said she hopes the citizens of Palmer fully engage the upcoming recall vote.
“From February 8th, count out between 45 and 75 days before we have a recall election,” she said. “Then it’s up to the people of Palmer. We’re going to get out there and canvass once we get close to the election. I’m only doing this because I’m concerned for the wellbeing of our town.”
Hudgins feels good about the recall’s chances based on the fact that voters removed a leftist council member – Julie Berberich – in the most recent election, a contest that effectively restored a conservative majority to the city council.
“I feel like the last general election with Julie Berberich was very telling about how the people of Palmer feel,” Hudgins said. “The only thing now is to make sure they are aware of the special election, and we’re going to do our best to do that.”
TAKING ACTION
— Click here for the latest announcements of the recall Facebook page.
9 Comments
In my opinion only, they knew what the rules/law says and choose to violate that. I say we need the sentence to how long in jail that should spend not if they should keep their jobs. I don’t want someone that thinks they’re above the law to represent me.
Excellent comment!
Add David Wilson to that recall list for Wasilla. Anyone who serves the people for self gain, perhaps votes a certain way for a nice cushy job.Needs to go. Individuals have no say unless you’ve got money. Or belongs to a powerful group.
This Tuesday, 25 Jan is a Palmer City Council meeting. I call on as many as possible Palmer Residents and Greater Palmer residents to show up and to call on the three to save the City $10,000 in having to have the recall election! To fess up that they violated the law and now will do what is right to resign.
I am told that their supporters from the former Matsu Moms for Social Justice (that is now a different and secret group) will show up to support the three.
Folks the allegations are no longer allegations, the investigation is clear, all original 4 violated the Open Meetings Act. The citizens of Palmer kicked out one. Sadly, there doesn’t look like the Citizens of Palmer can file criminal charges. Thus all they can do is kick them out in a recall.
Folks come out in huge numbers like you did when they tried to fire the Police Chief, when they tried to impose a dictatorial mask mandate, when they tried to put up a Police Oversight Council! Will the three resign even then? That is up to them and I just don’t think they will but the public will he heard, clearly!
THEY ALL WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND DECIDED TO BECOME A TOMATOE PLANT……
Did you know that it is o.k. to be RACIST if you are a LEFTIST pushing Covid -19 mandates?
It is finally official!
New York City now requires you to be vaccinated with the Covid shot, to enter a business.
If you are not vaccinated, you cannot enter.
Remember those days when the DEMOCRATS SEGREGATED the black people from the white people?
~A MUST-READ ARTICLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SEGREGATION~
The radical Leftists are doing this today!!!!!!
GOOGLE: Town Hall.com Democrats Return To Segregation
How about a little closer to home? I hear that a Big theatrical performance is coming to Anchorage and only those who have been vaxed or have a ‘card’ may attend. I don’t live in that town, so going by what someone reported.
There needs to be a GIANT effort to get out the vote in tiny city of Palmer. Everyone outside of city limits who works, eats, shops, recreates and does business in Palmer is COUNTING on YOU to keep Palmer free.
I totally agree. I have talked to those that went out and got the signatures that we need now to put together an organization to fund raise hard so we can have radio ads blasting the airwaves of the finding of violation the Open Meeting Act. A one or one and a half minute read of the finding would be devastating. Recall signs with screen shots of the comments, including those of Matsu Moms for Social Justice by name.
This doesn’t have to and should not be about the junk the three tried to pass. This is a recall because they violated the LAW and the Ethics rules all three signed!