11/15/2006

Petition drive progresses

Group seeks to recall township supervisor

By
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY — Residents who want to oust Bingham Township Supervisor Robert Foster from office have less than two weeks to gather enough petition signatures to put the question on the February ballot.

Bingham Township resident Marge Johnson on Oct. 19 filed a recall petition that alleges Foster's dereliction of statutory duties as supervisor. Members of the county's election commission last week approved petition language during a clarity hearing.

County Clerk Michelle Crocker said circulators must turn in petitions signed by at least 289 registered Bingham Township voters by Nov. 24 in order for the recall question to appear on the Feb. 27 ballot. The next available election date would be May 8.

Johnson said about a dozen people are gathering signatures for the Nov. 24 deadline.

The petition lists several specific allegations of misconduct committed by Foster, including verbally harassing and intimidating other elected officials and placing the township at risk by claiming he had permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to groom Hendryx Park beach.

Foster maintained that all the allegations made in the petition are false. He wasn't available for comment Tuesday, but his wife, Patricia Foster, said his attorney objected to aspects of the recall petition language, calling it "vague and confusing.”

Robert Foster plans to challenge the petition language in circuit court, she said.

Johnson said the pro-recall group plans to file necessary campaign finance paperwork with the county clerk's office.

The recall effort came on the heels of a pending civil lawsuit that alleges Foster retaliated against former township clerk Dorothy Petroskey, who resigned in August.

Foster, his wife and Bingham Township are defendants in the suit filed by Petroskey. It alleges a pattern of retaliation and harassment led by Foster beginning in late May after Petroskey reported the supervisor's alleged unauthorized beach grooming. Foster's response to Petroskey's suit denies retaliating against the former clerk and states he was not involved in the work at Hendryx Park.

See related story:

• Recall effort under way in Bingham Township - October 21, 2006
• Bingham Township supervisor denies retaliation against former clerk - October 6, 2006
• Former clerk files suit against supervisor, wife and the township - August 30, 2006
• Township clerk steps down - July 29, 2006

See related editorial:

• Editorial: Bingham supervisor puts taxpayers on the hook - September 1, 2006