Papers were filed Tuesday to recall Klamath County Commissioners Tom Mallams and Jim Bellet.
The recall papers were filed by Shannon Roberts, who’s strongly opposed to the commissioner’s choice of Cascade Comprehensive Care as CCO for Klamath County.
Commissioner Mallams claims the board had no other choice…
“There was nothing we could do. Our options were limited…the county commissioners can’t make somebody else apply as a CCO candidate.”
Commissioner Jim Bellet says he’s been expecting the recall…
“I don’t think any of us was surprised.”
An effort to recall senior Commissioner Dennis Linthicum was filed in May.
Klamath County Clerk Linda Smith notes that petitioners have 90 days to get about 3500 signatures on each petition…
“Dennis Linthicum’s is August 7th is the deadline, the 2 news ones that were filed, just filed, have until October the 7th.”
In her recall statement, Roberts says: ‘It appears the commissioners are not keeping their promises of putting the community’s needs first.”
Commissioner Mallams says he understands her frustration…
“There have been some very tough decisions to be made, and not everyone is going to be happy. I understand that, and I accept that.”
Commissioner Bellet says the recall effort won’t impact the way he does his job…
“Nope. I’ll just continue on just like I was.”
If enough signatures are collected and verified, a recall election would cost about 40 thousand dollars.
The last successful commissioner recall in Klamath County took place in 1996, when commissioners David Henzel and Clif McMillan were voted out of office.
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