Yucca Valley town council recall effort advances

A recall effort is a step closer to gathering signatures in Yucca Valley against four of five town council members.

Ron Cohen of Concerned Citizens said he delivered Proof of Publication with blank copies of two recall petitions to Yucca Valley Town Clerk, Jamie Anderson. The move takes the recall one step closer to gathering signatures.

Cohen said the election clerk would now have ten days to examine the blank petitions as to form and content.

Cohen said, “the two councilmen have the opportunity during this brief window to step down from office before the petitions are officially validated.” Cohen said, “If they don’t step down, the recall is on.”

Four of the town’s five council members are being targeted for recall because of a $300,000 contract for the new town manager.

Critics are upset over the contract’s generous provisions as the town cut services, programs and personnel.

Cohen said the Concerned Citizens group served Yucca Valley Councilmen Robert Lombardo with a notice to circulate a recall petition April 30, to remove him from office.

The group says Councilman George Huntington was also served at his residence earlier that same day.

Huntington, Lombardo and fellow council members Dawn Rowe and Merl Abel have all received recall notices citing six complaints.