Wattenburger recall effort afoot?
I hear that there's a meeting scheduled next week at the Broiler restaurant among the Ukiah Valley Smart Growth people to discuss launching a recall effort against Ukiah Supervisor Jim Wattenburger. They're mad at him because they believe he will be the swing vote in favor of the new mall at the Masonite site. I understand City Councilman John McCowen - who is involved with the UVSG group and widely believed to be ready to run against Wattenburger for a supervisor seat - will be on hand. It would certainly be vastly easier for him to push a recall effort and get his name on the ballot to replace Wattenburger in the recall, than to have to raise funds and run in the primary and then possibly in a general election.
Or maybe the group is just putting this word out around town to scare Wattenburger into voting against the mall when the time comes.
A reader called me the other day to point out that in a "Thank You" letter on our Forum page last week from a woman whose home was destroyed by fire in Deerwood, the woman thanked a number of neighbors who were especially helpful. Among them was Ukiah Mayor Mari Rodin. A Deerwood neighbor? That's not a city of Ukiah address. Maybe Mari can send us some info here on that.
Comments
As someone very involved with the Smart Growth Coalition I can say there is no meeting of the that I'm aware of at the Broiler for any reason and specifically about any recall. I think someone planted this bit of false information to discredit the coalition. Then drawing John McCowen's name into it is a political shenanigan of a very low order. Perhaps it was fed to you by UDJ/Employer Council's John Graff or a proponent of "Dumb Growth".
When you get "information " like this maybe in the interest of good journalism it should be checked out before being published. Ukiah deserves better from you and the Journal.
Posted by: Richard Shoemaker | October 7, 2007 08:23 PM