Community Corner

Cohen: Town is Adhering to Recall Bylaws

Town Manager Paul Cohen said the town is acting within in the bylaws and the 14-day window for the selectmen recall to collect signatures started Tuesday.

Town Manager Paul Cohen today said the town is acting within the bylaws regarding the process for

On Tuesday, Roland Van Liew completed the first step of the recall process and returned affidavits with 25 signatures from each of the town's precincts to recall four selectmen. Now, he has 14 days to collect signatures from 10 percent of the town's voters to force a recall election.

Van Liew's lawyer, to Town Clerk Elizabeth Delaney and Town Manager Paul Cohen, McClure asserts the 14-day window for collecting those signatures starts when the lead petitioner receives the petitions on which to collect the signatures - and not when the first set of affidavits was returned to the Town Clerk's office.

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Cohen said McClure's assertion is incorrect.

"We are fully complying with the requirements of the recall provision in the town charter. The petitioner only submitted them Tuesday afternoon, here two days later. The Town Clerk has certified signatures from all nine precincts, that was completed yesterday afternoon," said Cohen.

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Now, the town clerk is preparing blank petitions for each of the candidates - Jon Kurland, Matt Hanson, George Dixon and Pat Wojtas - which has their names, the basis for recall, and the names of the 25 people who have already signed the petition.

 "I've assigned staff into their office to help complete this as timely as we can," said Cohen. "And for a historical basis, six months ago for the Planning Board recall, there were half as many candidates  - two, not four  - and we completed it in same time frame ... We are working as diligently with as many resources as we can to get it done. There's no basis for these claims or criticism."

Cohen said the recall is eating up much of the town's resources during an especially busy time, as Town Meeting is Monday night. Cohen also said the town had to arrange for a printer to print the number of petitions Van Liew has requested.

"It's not like this is the only thing we have to do. Like anyone else, we only have so many resources. They're not entitled to preferential treatment. I have done the best I can provide additional resources, and it continues along the lines of unwarranted criticisms."

 Cohen said the 14-day period to file the petitions will end on May 3.


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