Enough petitions collected for recall

MINDEN - A recall election targeting two Indian Hills General Improvement District trustees could be held in mid-July.

Douglas County Clerk Treasurer Barbara Reed said Friday the recall proponents gathered more than enough valid signatures to force a vote on whether Rene Haskell and Joanne Reikenberg should stay in office.

The recall backers also sought to remove trustee Dick Fairfax, but he resigned.

Haskell, whose term expires in December, has filed for another four years. Riekenberg was elected in 1998 and her term lasts through 2002.

Reed said the recall proponents needed 254 signatures from people who voted in the last election to try ousting Reikenberg and 235 against Haskell. She said the recall group presented 346 valid signatures for Reikenberg's recall and 350 for Haskell.

An official call for a special election will probably be issued around June 20. If either trustee resigns before then, she wouldn't be included in the election.

The recall petitions were filed by Indian Hills residents Art Baer, Betty Stellway, Richard Horn and Rhonda and Ken Pascoe. Rhonda Pascoe has since filed for a seat on the GID board.

The recall group has accused the trustees of ignoring their constituents and making decisions that expose the district to legal liability. The trustees say they have tried to fully investigate all their decisions so district residents don't face higher costs.