Slert to resign and leave area

News comes after evening of acrimony

Charles Slert

City Councilman Charles Slert announced Monday night that he plans to resign, citing “the current economic conditions,” a “major medical condition of an immediate family member and the need to relocate,” as the reasons for a Jan 5. departure with 11 months left in his term.

Slert looked on as Mayor Kathryn Murray read his letter of resignation at Monday night’s council meeting, an understated closing for a three-year period punctuated by natural disaster, continued fallout from a contentious wastewater treatment overhaul and three recall attempts spearheaded by Councilwoman Donna Westfall.

Slert later said by email that he plans to move out of Del Norte County to “hopefully somewhere on the North Coast,” nixing his plan to challenge Martha McClure for a seat on the County Board of Supervisors.

“I absolutely was gearing up for running for Supervisor for District 2 ... but now we will have to shift gears accordingly due to recent life-changing issues,” Slert wrote.

It was announced shortly before Slert’s resignation that a petition containing 435 unverified signatures in favor of recalling him was turned in to the city last week.

City Clerk Robin Patch estimated it will take her about eight hours to check the submitted signatures, though attempting to recall a resigning council member is a moot point.

“My resignation is absolutely not a response to the recent notice to petition for my recall,” Slert wrote in the letter read by Murray at the meeting.

The City Council has until Feb. 4 to appoint a successor or call a special election to fill the vacancy.

“In the past it’s been estimated to cost around $20,000 for a special election,” said City Attorney Bob Black.

In the event of an appointment, the council could select and approve a new member by February at the earliest. The new member would hold office until the next general election in November. Legally, the city must post the position opening and accept applicants for at least 10 days.

In the meantime, only four heads on the council opens city leadership up to a potential impasse: if there’s a tie vote on a motion, it automatically fails. This could further stymie a body already riddled with internal strife.

Four rows full of sixth-graders from Crescent Elk Middle School who attended the Monday meeting to rally for a new anti-tobacco ordinance got to see these tensions firsthand. They sat patiently, stifling yawns and trying not to fidget, as public comments stoked controversy about Westfall’s role in the efforts to recall Slert, Councilwoman Kelly Schellong and Mayor Murray.

Westfall was not present, but the kids and the rest of the council got an earful from three petitioners who stepped forward to address allegations leveled at Westfall during a previous City Council meeting.

“Someone told me that Ms. Westfall asked if there was anyone at a local Alzheimer’s care and assisted living facility, that if they were registered to vote and if they could still sign their name, she would come out and get their signature on a recall petition,” Schellong said as part of her closing remarks on Nov. 21.

Slert and Murray also weighed in, suggesting recall organizers were harassing the elderly at Westfall’s behest.

Recall organizer Amy Bradley disputed these claims on Monday night as a Crescent Elk student lolled in a seat behind her, his head in his hands.

“It’s easy to understand why people of the public want you three recalled when you lie with such sincerity,” Bradley said.  “Donna Westfall is out sick tonight, but I am handing in her formal complaint and demand for investigation into violations to the code of ethics. She states that Kelly Schellong misconstrued and fabricated getting signatures from Alzheimer’s patients.”

“If Schellong and Murray want to stand by their statements regarding the signature collecting process on Slert’s recall, then let them prove it!” Westfall said by email Tuesday.

An Oct. 25 email written by Westfall to an employee at an assisted living facility was released by Schellong on Wed- nesday. The facility shared the information on condition of anonymity.

“For those of your residents still able to vote and sign their name, it would be helpful to be able to send someone out to get their signatures on recall petitions because some things are just never going to change until my fellow council members are faced with being forced out of office,” Westfall wrote.

The intent to petition a recall of Schellong was approved by the City Clerk on Wednesday, meaning organizers can begin collecting the requisite 435 signatures to put a recall on the ballot in a special election.

The effort to recall Murray is already 20 days past the deadline to submit necessary documentation to the city in order to start collecting signatures for a ballot measure, meaning if organizers want to continue, they’ll have to start over.

The council had also planned to discuss “Rosenberg’s Rules of Order” on Monday night, but opted to delay the discussion until Westfall could be present.

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