Ortonville- The recall effort against Village Council President Sue Bess continues.
The Oakland County Election Commission will meet at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 14, in the courtroom of Judge Barry Grant, Chief Judge of Probate Court, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac. The commission will review the clarity of language on an official village recall petition form and approve or deny the petition. The meeting is open to the public.
The village recall petition form was received by the Oakland County Clerk’s Office on Aug. 28. The petition form was the second one filed by village resident Jane Derry, the first being an incorrect form (not specifically for villages) filed Aug. 18.
The language on the new form remains the same as the first, incorrect form: ‘We the undersigned electors request that the recall of Susan K. Bess be placed before the voters of the village of Ortonville, Michigan. She has abused her power as Village President for financial gain to her personal friends, through unrightful employment and financial favors.?
Derry initially declined to comment on the petition language, but said last week, ‘The language to recall Sue, which we were counseled in, may seem vague to some people. However, the people close to the situation will understand the language perfectly.?
Derry plans to educate the public more specifically as the recall process, which includes having the petition language approved, moves forward.
Derry says she represents a group of concerned citizens and professionals and as the process continues, they will ask for petition signatures and prepare the village to vote.
‘We (the group) believe there are other concerned citizens that have never made their concerns known, and we represent them as well.?
David Bonner, chairman of the Downtown Development Authority, says he applauds Derry’s efforts in filing for the recall of Bess.
‘Every week, I listen to someone complain about this village or township and I ask them if they go to the village or township meetings and do something about it, but they do not,? Bonner said. ‘That person goes home and hides… Sue Bess has done a good job for many years, but after 17 years as a government official, anyone can get burned out and start making the wrong decisions. In 17 years, not one other person in this community had the knowledge or the time to replace her. No one has ever run against her. That is sad.?
Councilmember Larry Hayden has a different take on the number of years Bess has served.
‘She’s been on the job for many, many years,? he said. ‘If she was not doing a good job, she would not have been there that long.?
Hayden said he had no direct comment on whether there was any merit to the recall as he doesn’t know enough about it, but added that he believes it is important for the council to keep things on a professional level and in the past, some things may not have been done as professionally as they could have been.
Councilmember Mary Kassuba also declined to comment on the recall effort.
Councilmember Kay Green called the petition ‘a witch hunt.?
‘I believe some folks are misguided, misinformed, and mean-spirited,? said Green, who has served on the council for 16 years. ‘There are obviously people out there with hidden agendas. It’s a sad day for Ortonville that this has ever come about… It is small town politics at its worst. It puts a black cloud over the whole community. I’ve known Sue all these years and I know one thing? she always puts the village of Ortonville above everything. It’s discouraging to see that this has happened.?
Bess had no further comment on what she says has now become a legal matter.