Petitions To Recall Ucon Mayor Declared Invalid

First-term Mayor Byard Cox probably will not face a recall election.

City Clerk Julie Miller said on Friday that petitions filed last week to force a recall election are invalid. The petitions had more than enough valid signatures, Miller said, but they were not notarized properly.

Petition gatherers also had several people circulate each page. State law requires that only one person circulate each page and witness the signatures.

Miller said there were 100 valid signatures on the petitions, 22 more than required for a special recall election.

Teresa Reynolds, a petition organizer, would not say whether they would try another recall drive.

Language on the petition accused Cox of “disregarding the laws of public bids and misuse of public funds.” Reynolds said last week that she disagreed with the process the city used to hire contractors for road work.

Cox said on Friday that there had been “some misunderstandings. Both sides are getting together and trying to negotiate.”