Petition to recall Ottawa Co. commissioner clears signature hurdle
OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A petition to recall Ottawa County Commissioner Lucy Ebel has received enough signatures to be included on the May ballot, election officials say.
To be included, the petition needed 2,481 signatures. The Ottawa County Clerk’s Office told News 8 it verified 2,653 signatures. Election officials completed their review Tuesday.
Group submitting signatures to recall Ottawa County Commissioner Ebel
Ebel, who represents Holland Township and Park Township, is among several conservative commissioners backed by conservative political action committee Ottawa Impact who took office early this year. That includes Commission Chair Joe Moss, who helped found Ottawa Impact.
Petition organizers said in a release that Ebel and Ottawa Impact are “too extreme.”
“The recall election will be a referendum on Ottawa Impact,” Larry Jackson of Park Township, who is leading the effort to recall Ebel and who is listed as the treasurer for the Ottawa County Democrats, said in a statement. “The malicious actions of Lucy Ebel, Joe Moss, and the other Ottawa Impact commissioners continue to cause harm to the citizens of Ottawa County.”
Jackson cited Ottawa Impact’s efforts to oust Administrative Health Officer Adeline Hambley, the board’s budget that decreased funding to the health department and “burning taxpayer money on expensive legal counsel.”
Still no vote: Ottawa County board pauses health officer removal hearing again
The clerk’s office said Ebel has until Nov. 23 to submit challenges.
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