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Recall petition filed in Lake Geneva

LAKE GENEVA — Papers to recall Alderman Tom Spellman have been filed, and papers to recall city council members Penny Roehrer and Spyro "Speedo" Condos should follow soon, one of the organizers said.

Bea Dale, a former mayor leading the recall effort, Monday turned in to the city clerk a petition with 191 signatures, 44 more than the 147 required.

The effort to recall the council members started after Condos was appointed to fill the seat formerly held by Gary Dunham, who resigned in early August. Many residents called for a special election to fill the vacant seat. Many others suggested the city council choose Condos to fill the position.

Condos was appointed to the city council in late August.

Dale said the group d took its time collecting more than the required number of signatures in case any are invalidated.

City Clerk Diana Dysktra must verify the signatures and within 31 days determine if the petition is "sufficient."

Spellman has 10 days to file a written challenge to the petition. The petitioner then has time to file a written rebuttal.

A recall election would be on the Tuesday of the sixth week after the petition is certified. Residents in the district could file paperwork to become candidates on the recall election ballot. Spellman also would be on the ballot.

Dale said the group should be ready to turn in papers to recall Roehrer and Condos by the end of this week or early next week.

The group is seeking to recall Spellman and Roehrer because, according to the paperwork filed with the city in September, they do not vote according to the wishes of their constituents. The group wants to recall Condos because, according to the paperwork, he asked the city council to ignore the wishes of residents who wanted a special election to fill the vacant seat he now fills.

The council members previously told the Gazette the allegations are baseless.

Dale led the successful recall effort against Condos in 2001, when he was mayor and lost his position.

Condos previously told the Gazette she is bullying him by attempting to recall him even though the law prohibits him from being recalled.

The state Government Accountability Board, formerly the state Elections Board, says an elected official cannot be recalled until they have been in office for one year. The term Condos took over started in April, and a recall would not be possible until April 2010.

Reid Magney, spokesman for the board, said if the group already has collected signatures, it cannot turn them in and the clerk should not accept them.

"If they've collected any so far, they won't be able to use them," he said.

Magney said there is no penalty for collecting signatures before a recall is allowed.