From Daily Astorian: Clatsop County Commissioner Richard Lee Faces Recall!

One petitioner said; Lee has made a series of incredibly bad decisions.

"It doesn't seem to be getting any better. Every indication is that it's going to get worse," Auerbach said.

The petition was filed today with the Clatsop County Clerk by a new group called Clatsop Citizens for Open Government (CCFOG).

Members list the reasons for recall as:"By his actions as a Clatsop County Commissioner, Richard Lee has harmed the future of Clatsop County and its residents through:
"• Squandering public funds by choosing to hire planning and management consultants and expensive attorneys but disregarding their professional advice and findings; "
• 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; "
• Jeopardizing the justice system through threats of underfunding support staff; "• Manipulating the membership of the Planning Commission 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

."If the petition is approved by the County Clerk, recall supporters will have up to 90 days to collect about 500 signatures necessary to force an election.

When the signed petitions are submitted, the county will have 10 days to verify the signatures and Lee will have five days to either resign or respond.

If he does not resign a recall election must be held within 35 days.

Members of Clatsop Citizens for Open Government will be collecting signatures from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday in front of the Astoria Post Office, outside the Liberty Theater and at the Cannery Pier Hotel.

Only registered voters who live in Lee's district are eligible to sign petitions.

Clatsop County officials say District 3 encompasses the area of Astoria east of Fifth Street, southeasterly of Denver Avenue and south of platted West Niagara Avenue, as well as the communities of Miles Crossing, Jeffers Gardens, Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark, Youngs River, Olney, Green Mountain and part of Walluski. These areas are Precincts 4, 5, 6, 21, 31, 36. and part of 3.

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