By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
LUDLOW, Maine — Voters in Ludlow will have an opportunity Thursday to weigh in on a citizen-driven petition that seeks to create a recall ordinance for elected selectmen. Earlier in the day, registered voters will have an opportunity to cast their ballot for one of two individuals running for a seat on the town’s board of selectmen. David Stevens and Brady Peabody are both seeking to fill the seat, which was previously held by Donna Austin. Austin chose not to seek re-election.
The polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The annual town meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Ludlow Town Office.
Article 25, which was advanced by a citizen’s petition, reads “Shall an ordinance entitled ‘Ordinance for the Recall of Elected Selectmen of the Town of Ludlow’ be enacted?” Voting will take place by a secret ballot during the meeting.
If the article passes, voters will then be asked to approve the wording for the recall in the next article.
Article 26 asks voters to adopt the following amendments to the recall, to clarify the grounds for recalling a selectman. The articles reads “Grounds for recall: An elected official may be recalled for (a) failure to appropriately carry out the duties and responsibilities of the office; (b) engaging in conduct which brings the office into disrepute; (c) engaging in conduct which displays an unfitness to hold the office; or (d) for the indictment or conviction of a crime under the laws of the state of Maine or a felony under the laws of the United States or entry of a plea of guilty to such an offense.”
There are limitations expressed in the article. Those limitation include: “No petition for recall shall be filed against an official with fewer than four months in office, or with fewer than 60 days of a multi-year term remaining. If an official has been subjected to a recall election and not removed, no recall petition shall be filed against that official until at least six months have passed since said recall election.”
This article would also be done by secret ballot.
Article 27 will then ask voters if they wish to expand the current three-member board of selectmen to a five-member group beginning with the fiscal year of 2014-15. This article was also driven by a citizen’s petition and will be decided by a secret ballot.
