Paradise Irrigation District recalls, California (2016-2017)
| Paradise Irrigation District Board recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Sep Carola |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| January 24, 2017 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2017 Recalls in California California recall laws Special district recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Larry Duncan and Sep Carola from their positions on the Paradise Irrigation District board was initiated in March 2016. The Paradise Irrigation District is in Butte County, California. Duncan represents Division 3, and Carola—the board president—represents Division 4.[1] Duncan and Carola were both successfully recalled on January 24, 2017.[2]
Recall supporters said they were seeking recalls due the board's poor money management and poor communication with its constituents.[1]
Recall vote
The recall election, which took place by mail-in ballot, occurred on January 24, 2017.[3] Anne Rice and Wally Schmidt ran to succeed Duncan in Division 3. Marc Sulik ran unopposed to succeed Carola in Division 4.[4]
| Recall Larry Duncan Question | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Recall | 3484 | 82.02% | ||
| Retain | 764 | 17.98% | ||
| Election results via: Butte County Clerk-Recorder | ||||
| To Succeed Larry Duncan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Anne Rice | 2975 | 79.55% | ||
 Wally Schmidt | 729 | 19.49% | ||
| Write-in | 36 | 0.96% | ||
| Election results via: Butte County Clerk-Recorder | ||||
| Recall Sep Carola Question | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Recall | 3291 | 78.23% | ||
| Retain | 916 | 21.77% | ||
| Election results via: Butte County Clerk-Recorder | ||||
| To Succeed Sep Carola | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Marc Sulik | 3416 | 98.08% | ||
| Write-in | 67 | 1.92% | ||
| Election results via: Butte County Clerk-Recorder | ||||
Recall supporters
The recall petition stated that the board's financial mismanagement had driven the district close to bankruptcy. "They've lost the public's trust in managing their money and now the district's on the verge of going broke, and we want to get people in that are responsive to what the citizens want and to be fiscally responsible," said resident Michael Zuccolillo.[5]
State and federal law dictated that the district needed to find a new way to process its water pollution discharge by January 2018. Recall supporters say the district knew about the problem in 2010, but money was instead spent on other matters like plastic meters, a new corporation yard, and a raise for District General Manager George Barber. "If we’d started exploring ideas in 2010 when they were told about the problem, we’d have $10 million in reserves that we could put toward the project," said Zuccolillo.[1]
A third board member, Ken Hunt, would have been included in the recall attempt, but he was already up for re-election in November 2016. Duncan and Carola's terms were not set to expire until 2018. Those who started the recall process did not take issue with Bill Kellogg, the other member of the board. The fifth member, Doug Flesher, died on March 15, 2016.[6]
Supporters say Duncan, Carola, and Hunt used Kellogg as a scapegoat for the delay in the project because Kellogg still wanted to build a constructed wetland for the water discharge, while the majority decided they should build a mechanical water recycling plant. According to the petition, the recall targets' attitude toward the public was one of arrogance and disdain. Dan Wentland, slated to run against Hunt in November 2016, said, "None of this would be happening if they pleasantly and in a humble fashion talked to the people."[1]
Recall opponents
Larry Duncan response
Duncan filed a response to the allegations in the recall petition. Below is an excerpt from his statement:
| “ | Please protect our water district and our water. Don't sign this petition.
No one likes a rate increase but with California's mandates we have no choice. This recall effort is the first step in disrupting our local water district. It may cause the district to be turned over to the state and finally sold to a private company where all customers will lose local control.[7] |
” |
| —Larry Duncan[8] | ||
Sep Carola response
Carola filed a response to the allegations in the recall petition. Below is an excerpt from his statement:
| “ | Without a rate increase we run into the real possibility of our district being turned over to the state and then ultimately a private company. This will result in much higher rates with no chance for the community to challenge these rates.
I do my homework and have looked at all the options. I make my decisions in the best interest if PID and the community it serves.[7] |
” |
| —Sep Carola[9] | ||
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
Recall proponents needed to collect 3,203 valid signatures for each official by June 17, 2016. The number of required signatures was determined by calculating 20 percent of the district's registered voters.[1] Supporters did not turn in the signatures by the June 17 deadline because they weren't sure if enough signatures would be certified. If they had gotten them in by June 17, the recall would have gone on the 2016 general election ballot.[10]
They turned in the signatures on July 22, which was the final deadline. There were 4,231 signatures on Duncan's petition and 4,157 on Carola's.[11] The county certified the signatures in September 2016.[12] The recall election was scheduled for January 24, 2017.[3]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Paradise Irrigation district recalls. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2016
- Political recall efforts, 2017
- Special district recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 ChicoER News, "Recall drive targets two PID directors," March 31, 2016
- ↑ Butte County Clerk-Recorder, "Special Recall Election Paradise Irrigation District," January 24, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 ParadisePost.com, "PID recall date set for Jan. 24," September 21, 2016
- ↑ Butte County Clerk-Recorder, "Special Recall Election Recall Measure and Candidate List," accessed January 13, 2017
- ↑ KRCR News, "Paradise Irrigation District customers circulate recall petitions," March 30, 2016
- ↑ ParadisePost.com, "Doug Flesher, long-time ag teacher, PID director, dies," March 15, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Butte County Clerk-Recorder, "Answer to Statement of Reasons by Larry Duncan," accessed January 13, 2017
- ↑ Butte County Clerk-Recorder, "Answer to Statement of Reasons by Sep Carola," accessed January 13, 2017
- ↑ ParadisePost.com, "Recall proponents move toward costly special election," July 1, 2016
- ↑ ChicoER, "PID recall advocates submit signatures," July 22, 2016
- ↑ Action News Now, "Paradise Irrigation District recall supporters collect enough signatures to force recall elections," September 7, 2016
