Superintendent recall moves forward

Glenn County election officials are moving forward with the process of certifying a recall election, providing enough signatures can be gathered that support ousting school chief Arturo Barrera from office.

The process continues despite an attempt by Barrera Thursday to halt the proceedings on the grounds he was not personally served with the notice of intent.

According to Glenn County election official Susie Alves, a letter from Barrera’s attorney, Walter W. Hansell, of Cooper, White & Cooper, of San Francisco, demanding the county desist with the recall is a matter for the courts, not the county election office.

“We have take the notice of intent at face value,” Alves said. “We have to operate according to state law.”

According to Hansell, the notice of intent was delivered to Barrera’s Villa Street office May 30 by recall proponent Michael Dennis, and was placed on Barrera’s desk by a secretary.

Barrera received the intent the same day, according to his statements at a press conference held a few days later at the Glenn County Office of Education.

“It is well settled California law that the eventual actual receipt of the intended document, by the person to be served, is not sufficient to effect personal service or to confer jurisdiction over that person,” wrote Hansell.

Proponents of the recall are not discouraged by Barrera’s threat to halt the proceedings in court.

“It’s his money,” said Dennis. “If he wants to spend it by resorting to a technicality, it is up to him.”

Dennis said that, meanwhile, the process to recall Barrera is moving forward.

“We have an absolute, overwhelming measure of support,” Dennis said.

Although proponents of the recall would like to consolidate the recall election with the November general election, that deadline may come and go before enough signatures are collected.

“Summer time is always a problem,” Dennis said. “A lot of people are away.”

According to Glenn County election official Susie Alves, the number of signatures that would have to be collected for the recall is 2,376, which is 20 percent of the total number of registered voters in Glenn County.

Alves said if the recall is not held in conjunction with the November election, the Board of Supervisors may call for a special election to be held at a cost of $36,000, held within the election department’s budget for that purpose.

Stated grounds for the recall include Barrera misdirecting special education funds, hiring a public affairs official during a financial crisis, lacking managerial leadership that resulted in misuse of taxpayer funds, refusing to audit GCOE and publish the results, fabricating untruths to the detriment of local school districts, staff and students, altering the charter of William Finch and lacking the ability to build positive relationships with district colleagues, school personnel and parents.

Barrera called the grounds for the recall “exaggerated and distorted.”

Contact Susan Meeker at 934-6800 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.