BY LINDA BENTLEY  |  MAY 28, 2014

Recall on for all four slate councilmen

Signatures submitted all exceeded the 293 valid-signature requirement
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slate(l-r) Adam Trenk, Mike Durkin, Reg Monachino and Charles Spitzer


CAVE CREEK – Late Thursday afternoon, Town Clerk Carrie Dyrek sent out an e-mail to the mayor and council with documents attached, including a letter to Mayor Vincent Francia, announcing, based on her and county recorder certifications, it has been determined there are adequate signatures collected to effect a recall of Vice Mayor Adam Trenk and councilmen Mike Durkin, Reg Monachino and Charles Spitzer.

Dyrek also sent a letter out on Thursday to each of the four councilmen advising them there were enough valid petition signatures filed by the Cave Creek Caring Citizens Political Action Committee (PAC) to call for a recall election.

A minimum of 293 valid signatures were required by the Arizona Constitution to place the recalled councilmen on the ballot.

The number of signatures submitted by Dyrek and found to be valid by the Maricopa County Recorder’s office for each council member is as follows:

Trenk: 446 submitted, 78 invalid, 368 valid
Durkin: 402 submitted, 70 invalid, 332 valid
Monachino: 385 submitted, 71 invalid, 314 valid
Spitzer: 403 submitted, 83 invalid, 320 valid

The stated grounds for recalling each councilman, as stated on the petitions, is as follows, “We find that (councilman’s name) inability to govern the town of Cave Creek, AZ as prescribed, should be recalled for the following reasons: 1) Fiscal irresponsibility 2) Material misrepresentation to the public in the 2013 election, and 3) Lack of transparency with regard [to] the operation of Town Government.”

Dyrek advised each of the councilmen they have the option to resign within five days from the date they were notified (Thursday, May 22) of the recall, making the deadline to resign 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30.

If any choose to resign, they must do so by filing a written statement with the town clerk’s office by that deadline.

If any of the council members do not resign, their names will automatically appear on the ballot of the recall election that will subsequently be called by Dyrek for Nov. 4, 2014.

If they choose not to resign, they have ten days (by 5 p.m., Monday, June 2) from the date of the notice to defend their conduct in a statement of 200 words or less. If any recalled council members does not submit a defensive statement within the ten-day period, the right to have a statement printed on the ballot will be deemed waived.

Dyrek included with her letter to each the town clerk’s certification, the Maricopa County Recorder’s certification and a copy of the statutes covering recall procedures for their review. 

Once Dyrek calls for an election, anyone wishing to run against a specific recalled council member may register and will need to collect a minimum of 24 valid candidate petition signatures to appear on the November ballot against that specific council member.

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