Elyria Mayor Bill Grace has become the prime target of a group that insists his ouster will save the town from ruin.
What's the three term mayor done wrong?
CRAIG BEVAN: "He's closed 3 fire stations and asked for $42 thousand dollars more for mulch; and how many people give a rip about mulch, when their stations are closing?"
That's retired Elyria Firefighter Craig Bevan. His group - "Stand Up Elyria", gathered nearly 24-hundred signatures to force a December recall vote, contending THAT Grace has gutted public safety services - and mismanaged administrative costs.
Grace has laid off more than 50 city workers this year, and increased utility fees to offset a budget shortfall.
Among the mayor's defenders are city council president Ken Burkhard.
KEN BURKHARD: "It's a sad day for the city that we're going to spend in the neighborhood of $50 thousand dollars to do a job that the electorate has already done."
But now, with petition signatures verified, city council has little choice. They meet Wednesday night, and will likely select December 22nd as the day Elyrians vote yea or nay on Bill Grace's future.
Akron and Euclid have also heldspecial recall elections in in recent years.
The incumbents kept their jobs though. Craig Bevan says the situation is different in Elyria.
BEVAN: "People were very upset with the mayor... we had no problem getting signatures. Everybody kinda had a story - and I believe this is gonna happen."
If a recall is successful, city safety services director Chris Eichenlaub would become interim mayor, until the next election.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
