Ishpeming Recall Signatures Turned In

The effort to recall three members of the Ishpeming City Council from office takes another step forward.

Last year, Police Chief Jim Bjorne was denied a service time transfer request that would have allowed him to retire with a full pension.

Bjorne was fired last September.

Supporters of his are trying to recall city council members Elaine Racine, Claudia DeMarest and Mike Tall.

The recall petition drive is now finished.

Organizers couldn’t meet their goal of 600 signatures.

however, they say they came close.

Bob Clark of Ishpeming Citizens for Bjorne Justice is Bjorne’s brother–in–law.

He says they collected more than 560 signatures for each council member, and he believes Marquette County Clerk Peter Dishnow will have little trouble certifying most of the signatures, if not all.

Unless at least 487 of them pass muster within 35 days, the recall effort will end.

If there are enough certified signatures, the person who sponsored the petitions decides whether or not a recall election should take place.

In this case, it would be Ishpeming resident Rebecca Olds.

The election would be held in May.

Posted by: Mike Hoey