Johnstown recall petitions approved; election scheduled for Aug. 30

JOHNSTOWN − The city of Johnstown and the Licking County Board of Elections have approved petitions seeking a recall of council members Chip Dutcher, who is also the mayor, and Marvin Block, the council president.

The council voted 7-0 Wednesday night to set the recall election for Tuesday, Aug. 30. The city charter states council must set the date for an election to remove council members from office.

Licking County Board of Elections Director Luke Burton said 95 valid signatures from registered Johnstown voters were required on each petition, and there were about 140 on each one.

“It’s going to happen,” Burton said. “They will be having a recall election. Johnstown approved the petitions, and we did our verification.”

Block presented a written list of his accomplishments, which includes being a whistleblower and “watchdog/bulldog,” opposing and exposing wasteful government spending.

“They haven’t heard half the truth and I plan on presenting the rest of the truth,” Block said. He said he’s confident of victory in the election when the truth comes out.

His written statement included the following quote: “Some call it bullying. I call it being unafraid to tell the truth in order to safeguard the public purse and hold government and its employees accountable.”

Dutcher said only, “It is what it is. We’ll see ‘em at the polls on Aug. 30.”

Burton said if a majority of voters cast a ballot in favor of removal, it will be effective immediately upon the board’s official certification.

The mayor initially said he preferred to have the election the day after Labor Day, but when informed it would be $2,000 cheaper to have it on Aug. 30, he agreed. The election cost, estimated up to $15,000, will be paid entirely by Johnstown because nothing else will be on the ballot.

"I'm fine with that (date)," Dutcher said. "I don't want it to be said I didn't want to save $2,000."

The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Johnstown city offices building, 599 S. Main St.

Johnstown recall vote follows months of turnover in city government

Council Clerk Teresa Monroe rejected recall petitions last month because they were determined to be insufficient in complying with the city charter’s six-month rule, which allows for a recall of a council member who “has served at least six months of a council term.”

The recall effort began after five months of the council members' second terms. Recall organizers disagreed with Monroe's decision, saying the six-month rule refers to the first term of office, and these council members had served more than four years.

The initial recall effort included more than 300 signatures on each petition.

Johnstown, which officially became a city last year following the 2020 Census, has lost its city manager, police chief, finance director, two city council members and a police officer since December, and a city planner leaves on Aug. 11.

Meanwhile, the city prepares for construction beginning this year on the largest commercial development in Ohio history -- Intel Corporation’s $20 billion computer chip manufacturing operation – just a mile south of the city limits.

Aaron Steffan, husband of the former finance director and one of the recall organizers, said he heard plenty of support when he helped collect signatures for the initial set of petitions.

“The one we heard the most was, ‘Thank you so much for doing this.’ The second-most was ‘They should have been gone a long time ago,’ followed by numerous Marvin (Block) stories from people who have lived here a long time. And, they said, ‘How do we get rid of all of them?' " on council.

An investigative report for the city stated Block violated the city charter when he attempted to intimidate or pressure former police chief Abe Haroon to get rid of a mayor's court clerk/police dispatcher.

At a February council meeting, the spouses of former finance director Dana Steffan and Haroon called for Block’s resignation, saying he was spreading false rumors about their spouses having an affair.

Steffan said the reason for also seeking a recall of Dutcher was the widely-held belief that change is needed from the top down. The problems began, Steffan said, with the city’s approach to finding a replacement for Jim Lenner, who left as city manager on Dec. 3.

Utilities Superintendent Jack Liggett has served as the interim city manager ever since.

“Six months ago, when (Dutcher) canceled the professional search firm, he promised the community that he had the experience in those (job search) areas,” Steffan said. “And they’ve never done it. How do you let an interim fire the police chief for no reason?”

Haroon was fired a few months after the chief filed a complaint against Block, alleging numerous inappropriate or unethical actions. Haroon alleged in the complaint Block was unhappy department directors were running the city instead of council.

In his termination letter to Haroon, Liggett said the reasons for the termination were: secretly tape recording conversations with Block and Liggett; purchase of a drone for almost $30,000; and publicizing unfounded allegations against Block in his complaint, which is a public record.

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Johnstown recall petitions approved; election set for Aug. 30