Buxton Residents Petition for Right to Recall Officials
(from the Portland Press Herald, Sept. 11, 1998)
by David Connerty-Marin, Staff Writer

This Maine Municipal Association publication is presented for "Classroom Use Only."  Its intended use is to stimulate and aid in discussion and role playing within a classroom setting.

BUXTON—In an atmosphere of increasingly rancorous town politics, residents submitted petitions Thursday calling for a new ordinance to let voters recall elected town officials.

Residents will likely vote on the measure during elections on Nov. 3. If the measure passes, residents could initiate an effort the next day to recall any of the three selectmen.

Bets are they will.

"People seem to be unhappy with all three," said Jon Myers, the town clerk

Since Sylvia Young was elected over incumbent Cliff Emery in June, the three-person Board of Selectmen has become a fractious body. Many residents say personal agendas and personalities have inappropriately affected selectmen's behavior and their votes.

Young aligned herself immediately with Selectman Jonathan Jewett, who was the odd man out last year. Senior Selectman Bob Brandenstein now finds himself in the minority on nearly every issue.

"There's definitely an underdog support for Bob that John had last year," Myers said. But there are many residents opposed to him, too.

Some say they are unhappy with all three because of their bickering and lack of professionalism.

Thursday's petitions were signed by 405 people and handed in by Brandenstein and his wife, Sandra, chairwoman of the Buxton Town Republican Committee. If 297 signatures are validated by Myers, the measure will go on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Brandenstein said the petition originally had nothing to do with the selectmen.

He said that after voters approved three-year terms for road commissioners and several other elected officials who had previously had one-year positions, they asked him what they could do if an unqualified person were ever elected. He found a recall ordinance from Thomaston and adapted it for the Buxton proposal.

Brandenstein said chances are good that papers will be taken out to recall all three selectmen if the ordinance passes, which he's sure it will.

"We accomplished so much in the previous three years, now it's just pettiness and vendettas," he said. "In my opinion they should replace all three of us."

He said he thinks he's done a good job for the town, but "there's a lot of friction between us and I must admit I feel it and respond to the friction."

Myers said he hopes people don't use their recall power every time they disagree with a decision made by a selectman, because it can cost $3,000 or more for every secret ballot election.