August 14, 2008
By CHRISTINA TATU
FRANKFORD -- After four months of collecting signatures, members of a committee to recall Mayor Robert McDowell presented their petition to the township Wednesday.
In total, the petition contains 1,177 signatures, 230 more than the required 947 signatures. About 5,420 people live in the township, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
"Clearly the recall has shown there are a whole ton of people in this township that feel they have been kept out of the loop," said Sam Castimore, a member of the recall committee.
Also on the committee are Castimore's aunt, Rose Tanis and Route 565 landowner Richard Wingle.
The committee cited as reasons for the recall ordinances passed this spring to prohibit further development along routes 565 and 206, as well as a closed-door meeting between Deputy Mayor Paul Sutphen and Plan Endorsement Advisory Committee chairman David Mintz with the office of Smart Growth in April.
Township Administrator Louanne Cular will have 10 business days to verify that signatures belong to registered voters.
If the required signatures are verified, a question will appear on the November ballot asking voters whether they wish to recall McDowell.
As of Wednesday afternoon, McDowell said he had yet to see the petition, but plans on closely scrutinizing the signatures.
"I don't plan to resign," he said. "I will continue on for all the people who didn't sign the petition."
In response to residents' concerns about ordinances restricting commercial development on routes 565 and 206, McDowell said the township only was trying to follow plans set forth in its master plan, as well as recommendations from the Office of Smart Growth to restrict future development to the proposed town center at Ross' Corner.
"No one is addressing the issue that we are in the middle of seeking plan endorsement," McDowell said. "I try to do things legally. We were guided by attorneys during the whole ordinance process."
McDowell currently is serving his fourth year on the township committee.
He was elected mayor this January and would be up for re-election in 2009.
