QUILCENE — Petitions are circulating that favor the recall of two fire commissioners who have been accused of falsifying meeting records.
More than 25 percent of the required signatures have been gathered, according to supporters of the recall of Quilcene Fire Commissioners Mike Whittaker and David Ward.
Plaintiff Linda Saunders said Tuesday that recall proponents had gathered 50 to 60 names on each petition.
“We will be able to get the names we need,” she predicted. “Of the people I’ve asked, no one has even hesitated before signing.”
Whittaker and Ward have been under fire since 2010 over allegations of impropriety regarding the creation of a chief operating officer job for the district and the hiring of Ward for that position.
Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Anna Laurie ruled in October that one charge — that Whittaker and Ward participated in falsifying meeting minutes — was sufficient to allow the recall to proceed, although she struck down three other charges brought by the plaintiffs.
Whittaker and Ward appealed to the state Supreme Court to strike down the remaining charge. In July, the court gave notice of ruling against the appeal.
A statement from Whittaker and Ward’s attorney, Shane Seaman, said there had been no violation in the passage of a resolution to hire Ward.
“The petitioners accused Ward and Whittaker of purposefully directing the District Secretary to falsify the official meeting minutes to include a resolution that the Petitioners’ claim was not passed in an open public meeting,” Seaman said in the statement issued Tuesday.
“Ward and Whittaker adamantly deny this accusation.”
The statement indicated that Whittaker and Ward expect the recall to go forward.
“Both Ward and Whittaker are confident that voters will see through the false allegations when they vote on the matter this February,” it said.
The signature-gathering process began Aug. 8.
Adhering to a 180-day limit, the deadline to submit the petitions is Jan. 25.
But the next date for a special election is Feb. 12, and signatures would have to be submitted by Jan. 4 to get on the ballot, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s 2013 election calendar.
The recall election would be conducted by mail, with ballots sent to the approximately 1,360 voters in the Quilcene Fire District.
The number of signatures needed for a recall election to proceed are based on the results of the last election.
Both commissioners were unopposed, with Whittaker getting 554 votes in 2009 and Ward 510 votes in 2007.
For a recall election to go forward, proponents must gather 194 signatures to recall Whittaker and 179 to recall Ward.
The petition effort has so far been informal, but fixed locations may be set up, Saunders said.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
