Recall petitions filed against White Pigeon Twp. officials

CENTREVILLE – A White Pigeon Township resident filed recall petitions last week in an attempt to remove Supervisor Don Gloy and three additional board members from office.

County Clerk Lindsay Oswald said the petitions were turned in Friday by resident Anita Casada, who stated several reasons in support of the recall attempts.

In addition to heading up a campaign to oust Gloy, Casada filed recall petitions against township treasurer Trudy Gloy, and township trustees Jean Tefft and Vince Schroen.

All four petitions were filed Friday in the county clerk’s office.

In the petitions she submitted, Casada has alleged Trudy Gloy acted in self-interest by voting to re-zone property Gloy purchased to allow for development of a residential storage building.

Meanwhile, Casada said Tefft did not make budget documents related to the township’s proposed 2023-24 fiscal-year available in advance of a June 6 public hearing on the budget.

Casada alleges Schroen acted in an unprofessional manner toward township residents at a November 2022 meeting.

Regarding Supervisor Gloy, Casada stated that he has established a pattern of aggressive, unpredictable and arbitrary behavior toward township residents.

She further stated he is unfit to serve as township supervisor and that he failed to act with reasonable care in managing the township.

“In 2022, Donald Gloy was notified by St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners of additional funding available to local units of government. Donald Gloy failed to apply for these funds and caused a substantial loss of additional township revenue,” Casada wrote.

She continued, alleging Gloy removed fiscal year 2023-24 proposal budget documents from the township office during regular business hours, making the documents unavailable for public inspection the afternoon of June 6.

“At the budget hearing on the night of June 6, 2023, Donald Gloy continued to withhold the documents from public inspection by arbitrarily denying multiple audience requests for copies,” Casada continued. “Donald Gloy is quick-tempered, and unpredictable in his interactions with township residents.”

Casada alleged Gloy, during the township’s Dec. 6 meeting last year, verbally attacked a woman in attendance.

“Accusing her of harassing township officials and wasting township resources,” Casada wrote.

Gloy, 75, has been a township board member for 35 years, the past 30 years as supervisor.

Through attorney Lance Thornton, Gloy issued a statement Friday night.

“I am very proud of my approximately 40 years of public service to White Pigeon Township and the surrounding community … I have had and still have the privilege of serving with many talented and caring individuals who serve as township officers, employees, board members and volunteers, all of which provide dedicated service to White Pigeon Township resulting in:

• The township being operated in a conservative and fiscally responsible manner.

• The creation and maintenance of a comprehensive code of ordinances that govern the township that have been consistently, steadily, and reasonably enforced to protect township residents and their investments in the township.

• A new township library building and expanded library services.

• Establishment of a stable funding source to ensure dependable funding for fire protection, first responder and ambulance services for the township.

• Establishment of a stable funding source to improve roads within the township.

• A top-notch fire and rescue department.”

“I am very comfortable in letting the township’s accomplishments – my part in those accomplishments and my reputation – stand in contrast to the false accusations contained in the recall petition,” Gloy stated. “I believe the residents of White Pigeon Township will see the current recall effort as being led by a person who, in my opinion, has and continues to conduct herself in a way that distracts from good government rather than contributes to it and whose feelings were hurt when township officials recognized her disruptive intent and behavior, and took lawful actions to minimize her disruptive behavior.”

Gloy declined to make additional comment when contacted by phone later Friday, though he did note the petition did not come as a surprise to him.

A clarity hearing, which has the potential to determine the fate of the recall attempts, will take place at 9 a.m. June 27 in Courtroom B at the county courthouse.

If the commission OK’s the language, then Casada must secure at least 378 signatures of White Pigeon Township’s registered voters for the matter to move forward.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Recall petitions filed against White Pigeon Twp. officials