11/25/2006

Group turns in petitions to recall township supervisor

Issue may appear on February ballot

By CHRISTINE FINGER

cfinger@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Residents behind an effort to oust Bingham Township Supervisor Robert Foster collected more than 400 recall petition signatures.

Bingham Township resident Marge Johnson in October filed a recall petition that alleges Foster's dereliction of statutory duties as supervisor. Members of the county's election commission on Nov. 7 approved petition language during a clarity hearing, clearing the way to collect signatures.

Leelanau County Clerk Michelle Crocker said circulators on Monday turned in petitions with 408 signatures, which must still be verified by her office within 35 days. At least 289 signatures from registered Bingham Township voters are required for the recall question to appear on the Feb. 27 ballot.

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 contending he had permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to groom Hendryx Park beach.

Foster last week appealed the election commission's decision to the county's circuit court, claiming the petition language is vague and could confuse voters. He also said all of the allegations in the petition are false. Foster said on Tuesday that he could not respond to the recall allegations because of pending lawsuit filed against him by former township clerk Dorothy Petroskey.

"However, I will do so, in time, and prove that they are false in court,” Foster said in a written statement. "I am certain that the voters of Bingham Township know, as supervisor, the township has been run more effectively and economically than in the past.”

Crocker said Foster's request for judicial review of the petition language could affect the petitions that were filed. She couldn't predict how long the court would take to resolve the issue. But she said she'll continue following the steps outlined by state election law in the meantime.

"I have to at this point keep processing,” she said.