Saugatuck, — Petitions circulated, signatures verified and there will officially be a recall election in Saugatuck Township this November.
The Allegan County Clerk made it official on April 2.
All four remaining trustees on the township board: Clerk Brad Rudich, Treasurer Lori Babinski and trustees Roy McIlwaine and Douglas Lane are the targets in the recall election.
Citizens behind the drive say bad decisions by the trustees and some unprofessional conduct motivated their campaign for change.
“They are fine people,” says recall organizer Cindy Osman. “They just have not been making good decisions.”
Some of the trustees say it is unfortunate and unnecessary, but recall is part of the political process.
Ultimately, the trustees said they will have to wait and see what the voters decide.
“We will see what happens,” said trustee Douglas Lane. “That’s all we can do.”
“I question the whole procedure,” said trustee Roy McIlwaine. “You don’t have to steal money or do something illegal. You are just recalled because someone doesn't like your vote.”
The fifth trustee, Supervisor Jonathan Phillips, has already resigned from the board because he moved out of the township.
The trustees have scheduled a special meeting to appoint a new interim supervisor at 6:00 P.M. in the township hall.
The recall election is on November 6.
“That’s really what we wanted,” Osman said. "We want the people to make the choice.”
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