Garfield residents petition for recall of Mayor McCown

A petition for a vote for the recall of Garfield Mayor Raymond McCown was submitted to Whitman County officials last week.

The petition was submitted to the county auditor, who in turn forwarded it to the county prosecutor for review. Under provisions of state law, the prosecutor is required to review the petition and draft a ballot proposal.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy Friday filed a petition with the court to schedule a hearing to determine the sufficiency of the recall charge and the adequacy of the ballot synopsis which he prepared.

“I really haven’t got much to say about it. It’s all a bunch of malarkey,” said McCown. “I’d better keep my mouth shut, just wait a week (until after the ruling).”

The court petition said the recall charge was submitted by Garfield resident Rebecca Strange. Also signing the petition were Tim Southern, Tami Southern, Sharon Schnebly and Ken Jones.

The petition was filed with the county auditor May 23 and relayed to the prosecutor’s office for review the next day. The auditor also notified Mayor McCown of the filing made against him, as required by law.

The prosecutor’s report said multiple e-mails, attachments, public record requests, a list of items and prices, a USB computer thumb drive and PDF documents were included.

Tracy prepared a ballot synopsis listing 12 points. The petition charges Mayor McCown with dereliction of duty involving the town’s compliance with the Department of Ecology regulations in operating the Garfield sewer plant, creating a hostile work environment for a city employee, violating the state’s open meeting act and violating residents’ first amendment rights by limiting who comments at a council session. It also contends he gave away surplus pipe and that he lied at the April 27 council meeting.

The petition to the court asks that a hearing be scheduled within 15 days of Friday’s filing.

Tracy’s filing Friday included a copy of the proposed draft of the recall motion.