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  Community coalition readies recall petitions for Santa Maria City Council
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ContributorThomas Walker 
Last EditedThomas Walker  Jul 08, 2003 01:03pm
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MediaNewspaper - Santa Maria Times
News DateWednesday, July 2, 2003 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0
DescriptionThe Santa Maria City Council was served notice Tuesday night that their jobs may be on the line from a coalition of angry residents.

Notices of intent to circulate a recall petition drive for four sitting Santa Maria council members was served during public comment. One by one, community members brought forward the notices for Council members Alice Patino, Leo Trujillio, Bob Orach and Marty Mariscal.






"What we have here is a failure to communicate," William Wagener, a local cable-access television show host told the council, quoting a prison guard in the movie "Cool Hand Luke."

Wagener told the council they had "circumvented democracy" on numerous counts recently, including the ouster of former elected City Clerk Stephanie Swarner, whose job is now filled by City Manager Tim Ness, and the putting out for bids a fluoride delivery system when the fluoridation of city water will soon be on a city-wide ballot.

Others cited the city's treatment of former Police Chief John Sterling, who was forced to take early retirement in May after Ness placed him on leave pending termination over conflicts of management style.

"The way he was let go is not worthy of a democracy," said resident Nicholas Anderson of Sterling's ouster. "It may be worthy of a dictatorship."

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