PETITION CIRCULATING TO REMOVE SOMERVILLE MAYOR

  

Three former mayors and two current members of the city council are among 115 Somerville residents who have signed a petition to recall Mayor Micheal Bradford.

According to the Burleson County Tribune, the petition states that Bradford “has abused his powers by showing disrespect towards city staff and citizens of Somerville” and that Bradford, “is very disrespectful, demanding and belittles city officials,” the petition states.

The peition also reads that the people of the city "reserve the power to recall any member of council or mayor with 10 percent signature of voting majority," citing City Article II, Section 6 of the Texas Election Code 277.0021.

Members of the city staff are researching to determine whether his removal from office is legally possible.

Among those who signed the petition are former Mayor Tommy Thompson, who told the Tribune, “He may be right for some city, but he is not right our city.”

Former Mayors Ken Tharp and Waylon Edwards also signed the petition.  Current City Council members Don “Skipper” Murray and Jeff Schoppe also have signed.

Bradford says he learned of the petition last Friday, and—in his words, “didn’t give it a moment of thought as there is no recall for Type A general law cities in Texas.”

He said he was saddened that those signing “who didn’t take time to Google the law would put in this much effort.”

Regarding the criticisms in the petition, Bradford said he was not certain where they originated.