Brookville mayor, vice mayor push back against recall effort by 'Keep it Rural'
Nov. 10—Brookville Mayor Chuck Letner and Vice Mayor James Zimmerlin are pushing back against a resident-run effort to remove the two leaders from office.
The political action committee Brookville Citizens for Keep It Rural successfully filed petitions to recall Letner and Zimmerlin with the Montgomery County Board of Elections in October.
Jaime Iaquinta, treasurer for Brookville Citizens for Keep It Rural, said residents have lost trust in the leadership of Letner and Zimmerlin.
"Since I've started regularly attending council meetings back in April, I have watched the mayor laugh in people's faces for questions they've had, and the vice mayor has done the same; both have been very dismissive," Iaquinta said.
"We decided we'd had enough of the disrespect and there needed to be a change in leadership; we wanted to send a very clear message to the mayor and vice mayor, as well as the rest of council, that they will be held accountable," she added.
Letner and Zimmerlin denied Iaquinta's claims, asserting the accusations are "totally false."
Iaquinta said some residents are also concerned about increased development in the city of just under 6,000.
Earlier this year, Arbor Homes began construction on a new housing development located near the East Upper Lewisburg Salem Road and Albert Road intersection, just east of Brookville Fire Station 76. Plans call for around 50 homes in total.
During last week's election, Brookville voters soundly rejected a request that would have rezoned 85 acres of annexed Clay Twp. land located on Upper Lewisburg Salem Road.
The city's planning commission and council had previously approved the request to rezone 27 of the acres to General Business Planned Development Overlay District, and 58 acres as Suburban Residential Planned Development Overlay District.
A resident-led referendum gave voters the final say. According to final, unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections, 69.5% voted against the rezoning, with 30.5% voting in support.
The rezoning would have facilitated the development of restaurants, businesses, and homes on the land, though no official proposals had been submitted to the city.
"People are concerned about things like our wastewater treatment plant, roads, and the overcrowding of schools," Iaquinta said. "... When we ask these types of questions, often the response we'd get back is, 'It's fine,' or we'd be told the questions were already 'asked and answered,' and that we needed to go back and read the minutes of all the meetings prior to that point in time to get the answer ... it was mind boggling."
The PAC petitions, both of which garnered just over 800 resident signatures, were subsequently certified by the BOE.
In accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, if the person(s) whose removal is sought does not resign within five days after a recall petition has been certified, an election is to be held, results of which will give the final determination.
Both Letner and Zimmerlin said on Thursday they have no plans to resign from their positions, and that they have filed appeals with the BOE.
While Letner declined to comment further, Zimmerlin said the recall effort is "grounded in baseless accusations," further asserting that any special election held for this issue may cost the city more than $10,000.
"I find this attempt to recall myself and the mayor ludicrous, particularly since I am term-limited and on the final year of my term," Zimmerlin said via email Thursday.
Zimmerlin went on to opine that development is necessary for thriving cities.
"New development, both commercial and residential, is a critical lever needed to keep municipalities financially solvent, support the small business community, and to prevent us from having to ask residents to pass additional tax levies," he said. "Brookville residents voted down three separate roads/parks levies, which is why city council changed focus towards economic development."
Zimmerlin added that he stands by the decisions of city leadership.
"City council and city administration has done nothing but strategically position the city and continue to build a strong fiscal and economic foundation," he said.
