Township to hold recall election

     London Township will be holding a special recall election after a petition was filed to oust one of its trustees.
    A Petition for Recall for Elected Officials was submitted to the Sumner County Clerk’s office on Monday, Oct. 5.
    In the petition, members of the recall committee — Shannon Kelly of Peck, Kyle McAdams and Johnny Jordan both of Belle Plaine — allege Township Trustee Michelle T. Langlois should be recalled from the trustee position after she committed “misconduct in office and failed to perform her duties as a trustee.”
    The committee alleges Langlois committed misconduct by “failing to repair the mail route, specifically by blockading the road located on 130th Ave., North between West and Meridian roads with rocks on or about April 2009 to the present to make it impassible”, and by “obstructing a portion of public highway with intent to prevent the free use thereof by blockading” the same road, court documents say.
    According to state law, grounds for recall are “conviction of a felony, misconduct in office or failure to perform duties prescribed by law.”
    Langlois was appointed trustee on Jan. 12, 2009, which is a four-year term.
    County Clerk Shane Shields said in a court document he has found the petition to be properly filed and had verified the sufficient amount of signatures needed for the recall — 129.
    County Attorney Evan Watson has also reviewed the petition and found it to be sufficient for a recall, court documents state.
    According to state statute, a special election will be held on a date not less than 60, nor more than 90 days after the date the petition is properly filed. That date is Dec. 22, 2009.
    The petition will be reviewed by a District Court judge at the request of Langlois in the coming weeks. Watson says Langlois has a right for the review under state law.
    Unless a judge decides the County has no grounds to hold a recall election, it will be held as scheduled, Shields says.
    The election will be conducted as any other election, Shields says, with voters of London Township being asked the special question, “Shall Michelle T. Langlois be recalled from the office of Trustee of London Township?” Pending any action by the court, the election is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22.
    Langlois is not the first township trustee to be put through an election recall. Shields says in November 2007, a recall election was conducted for a Ryan Township trustee who was later recalled by voters.