Citizen Groups Threaten Recall of Murrieta City Council

A recall of Murrieta City Council could be on the horizon if some citizens pursue action.

Murrieta City Clerk Kay Vinson said at least two residents have inquired about the recall process past in the past two weeks.

One resident Vinson said inquired was Roy Holmgren, who could not be reached for news comment.

An Internet blog titled "Rescue Murrieta," states: "We are forming an exploratory committee on recalling member(s) of the city council not up for re-election in 2012."

The blog, updated on April 27, goes on to state: "The paperwork has been gathered. We have all the proponents and those to be recalled will be served soon."

“No one has been served yet to my knowledge,” Vinson said earlier this week.

The other inquiry confirmed by Vinson was made by resident Robin Nielson. Nielson said by phone Wednesday that she is among a group of people who may initiate the recall process.

Their complaint is that Measures C, D and E were not implemented in the same fashion they were approved by voters. The measures sought to cap pay of City Council members and the City Manager, as well as set term limits on Council members.

“When you are not going to follow the will of the people, it is time to go. We want to educate the community on what they are doing, that is the whole idea of doing a recall,” Nielson said, adding that the group sought to get the measures on the ballot since 2008, but due to the City Council, they were not voted on until 2010.

The group looking to do the recall is made up of many of the same members of Limited Government Political Action Committee, which brought the measures to the ballot in 2010. Nielson said, however, that there is no official name yet for the “recall” group.

She did not say which Council members they are considering for recall, but did say they would push for all five if given the chance.

“There is a lot more to discuss, but yes, indeed, we would like to recall all of them. But we would have to have five candidates to run,” Nielson said.

Of the measures in question, Measure C was the first to be implemented by City Council. Starting during their next term, Council members will be limited to two consecutive terms. Measure D and Measure E have both since been implemented as well. D will be implemented at the start of each Council member’s next term, as well. According to the City’s adopted ordinance, government code does not allow the pay to be changed during terms.

The adopted Measure E reserves the right for the City Council to set the City Manager’s pay, according to the person’s skill set and the performance of the City, and keeps it commiserate with cities of the same size in Southern California.

Patch tried to reached every Council member regarding the possible recall.

Mayor Randon Lane said he was aware of the possible recall action, and provided his stance behind the implemented measures.

“The term limits were passed and implemented immediately,” Lane said by phone Thursday.

“The second measure, the cap on City Council pay, I was the one who voted against [changing it]. It was a 4-1 vote because originally what they wanted to do was not include benefits.”

Lane said he was content to give up his benefits, although the implemented ordinance does not allow for that until new terms starts.

“But now we came out with something I believe addresses what the community wanted.”

About Measure E, Lane acknowledged that the voters didn’t want Murrieta to “turn into the City of Bell.” He added that Murrieta was a general law city, unlike Bell, which is a charter city.

“I believe we had to try and get as close as possible to what the voters wanted, and when they say we don’t have the City’s best interest at heart, we do. There is a disagreement between what they say is legal and what we say is legal. I truly believe at some point we will end up in court and I believe we have gotten as close as we legally can.

“What they have asked us to do is not in the best interest of residents, whose tax dollars we are entrusted with. But if a judge says to me it is not illegal, I will be happy with that, too.”

Lane is in his first term, which expires December 2012. He said he has not decided if he will seek re-election, but said he cares about Murrieta and plans to remain a Murrieta resident at least until his 2- and 7-year-old sons graduate high school. His 19-year-old daughter already graduated from Murrieta schools.

Mayor Pro Tem Doug McAllister is in his second term, which also expires in 2012. Council members Kelly Bennett and Rick Gibbs are in their second terms, which expire in 2014, and Councilman Alan Long is in his first term, which also expires in 2014.

As of Wednesday, Vinson said none of the recall paperwork had been filed at the City, which would occur if the person or persons being recalled were served with paperwork. She said at least 20 proponents’ signatures are necessary in order to file an intent.

Proponents would need to get 20 percent of registered voters to sign a petition. There are about 44,691 registered voters in Murrieta, she said.

“It is an 11-month process at best,” Vinson said, before it could end up on the ballot.

In May 2005, voters recalled Mayor Jack van Haaster. Councilmen Kelly Seyarto and Doug McAllister survived the recall. The group Rescue Murrieta headed up that recall effort.