Petition to recall Libby mayor granted

The Lincoln County office on Friday validated the third draft petition submitted to recall Libby Mayor Doug Roll.

On Monday, Lincoln County Elections Administrator Leigh Riggleman said Tammy Brown, the petitioner has 90 days from Friday to collect 329 voter signatures, or 20 percent of the voting population during the last municipal election, to move forward with the measure to dethrone roll.

Brown said she will be releasing a statement on the petition later on. Brown has not yet released where, or how the petition may be signed.

Roll, who said he had heard over the weekend that the petition was validated, said he is yet to draft a response.

“It’s disappointing and it’s frustrating,” he said.

Brown’s petition alleges that Roll appointed David Tennant to the city attorney position without approval from the city council. The petition also claims that Roll refused to place items requested by council member Dejon Raines on the agenda.

“I did not offer David Tennant a written contract, also there is nothing in the city charter having to do with me arranging the agenda,” Roll said.

While the City of Libby Charter doesn’t specifically require the mayor to arrange the agenda, the charter does require the mayor to administer affairs of the local government. Roll has also maintained that he did not appoint Tennant as city attorney, only hired him on at a temporary capacity earlier this year. Under the mayor’s administrative duties, the charter underlines the mayor’s duty to appoint all department heads with council approval.

Riggleman said in his review of the petition, County Attorney Bernard Cassidy did offer a few minor changes to the document, but said it was valid with or without those changes.

“It was not that big of a deal,” Riggleman said.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.