Voters in Palmer will decide in a special election if Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington should be recalled. He is accused of exceeding his authority in the handling a separation agreement for controversial former City Manager Stephen Jellie.
The recall proponents say Carrington’s decision to hire an outside attorney to draft an agreement for Jellie’s departure without first consulting the city council was improper. The recall proponents say the agreement had “legal elements detrimental to the city of Palmer,” including $75,000 in severance pay and a non-disclosure clause that limits what Palmer officials can share with Jellie’s future potential employers.
In addition, a clause in the agreement prevents Jellie from suing Palmer, and prohibits the city from suing Jellie, who lasted less than two months in the role before being embroiled in a series of controversies around firing the police chief and how he treated municipal workers.
Mayor Carrington has defended himself by calling it a simple overlay contract that is standard for such terminations. But the city’s attorney Sarah Heath has argued that such an agreement requires the city council’s approval.
Although the drama only lasted a few weeks and although the council ultimately voted to approve the agreement, some have said it’s not enough and that Carrington, too, must go.
The petition by Palmer resident Cindy Hudgins, a watchdog of city government, states Carrington broke the law.
“This abuse of executive power by Mayor Steve Carrington constitutes unlawful behavior by a public officer in relation to the duties of his office, willful in character,” Hudgins wrote.
The petition to recall Carrington required at least 71 signatures, or 25% of those who voted in the last regular election, and had to be turned in no later than Feb. 16. The city clerk confirmed the signatures were adequate on March 11. The exact date of the special election, which is expected to be in May, has not yet been set. The regular municipal election is not until Oct. 7.