Indian Hills board member quits

One of the targets of a recall petition in Indian Hills has handed in his resignation.

Indian Hills General Improvement District member Richard Fairfax submitted a letter of resignation at Wednesday's meeting of the board.

"I delivered it and left. I didn't even attend the meeting," he said. "The verbal abuse is not worth the effort. I've got better things to do."

Fairfax said he has received anonymous hate mail during his tenure on the board.

"You can't fight lies," he said. "Or at least you go crazy doing it. It's just not worth it."

In his letter, Fairfax said he was just trying to protect the district.

"I do not feel guilty about this as I know I have done more than my share as a trustee, but I do not appreciate smear campaigns, malicious half truths, innuendoes and lies while sitting for this public body," he said in the letter.

"Efforts to protect the financial well-being of the district have always been a priority of mine."

Fairfax said he believes residents in Sunridge will end up subsidizing the older portion of Indian Hills.

The recall was sparked when Fairfax, Renee Haskell and Joanne Riekenberg voted against building a community center near James Lee Park on the western edge of the community.

Vice Chairman Ron Kruse said Fairfax's resignation could end up splitting the board down the middle.

The board may appoint a new member but with the present split it may be difficult to agree on an appointee.

If district board members cannot agree on a new person, Douglas County commissioners will be called on to fill the position.

Recall petitions for the three trustees were turned in last week.

"If I can figure out how to get the other two to resign then we wouldn't have to do this," recall organizer Art Baer said.

Douglas County Clerk Barbara Reed said if the petitions are validated, she is planning a special election in mid-July.

"We are going to use the same machines and same procedures as a regular election," she said. Reed estimated the election will cost the district about $1,500.

She said the petitions would be checked by June 5.