Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Clintonville resident William VanDaalwyk has submitted more than the required number of signatures after circulating a petition for the recall of District 4 Alderman Greg Rose.
City Administrator Lisa Kotter, meanwhile, could learn next week whether she will keep her job.
VanDaalwyk, who began the recall effort against Rose in July, needed to get at least 56 signatures of qualified voters in the district. The exact number of signatures he obtained was not available, but city officials indicated there were more than the minimum required.
Clerk Peggy Johnson has 31 days to determine whether the signatures are valid. Rose, who was elected to a two-year term in April 2013, has 10 days after that to challenge the decision.
Former Alderperson Lois Bressette has filed papers indicating her intention to oppose Rose in a special election if the recall petition is validated.
VanDaalwyk said Rose’s actions have proved to be hostile to business and industry in Clintonville, and have incited divisiveness within the community. He also said Rose breached his fiduciary duty by voting to replace a competent municipal attorney with an inexperienced relative of two council members.
Rose called the effort “a knee-jerk reaction” to the council’s investigation of Kotter, who has been on paid leave since July 8.
A special Common Council meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at City Hall. The council is expected to go into closed session to consider Kotter’s suspension and could reconvene in open session for possible action.
Council members have refused to discuss the concerns about Kotter and denied her request to meet with them.
Kotter was initially suspended by the council on May 13. Attorney Warren Kraft was hired to investigate the undisclosed allegations following the suspension and later presented his findings to the council in closed session.
The council voted 6-4 on May 27 to extend Kotter’s suspension and refer allegations of misconduct to the city’s labor attorney. Mayor Judith Magee vetoed that vote on June 2, and Kotter returned to work.
On June 10, the council, with a 6-4 vote, failed to override Magee’s veto, falling one vote short of the required supermajority. Many city residents spoke in support of Kotter and Magee at the June meeting, which had to be moved from City Hall to the Community Center because of the overflow crowd.
The council then voted 7-3 in July to indefinitely place Kotter on administrative leave while continuing its investigation.