Petitions targeted two for recall

BLUE RIVER: On October 2nd, the Lane County Clerk verified four recall petitions for members of the Blue River Water and Sanitation District and the Blue River Park and Recreation District. Tony Casad and Josh Cloke, who hold seats on both boards, were named in the petitions.

Shannon Goodpasture-Lehr of Vida filed the petitions. In her filing for the water district, Goodpasture-Lehr claimed Casad had “been observed by multiple residents going onto private property, taking pictures, harassing family members while acting as the acting superintendent for the water board.” She added that he “actively works to restrict public access to meetings and does not share information with concerned citizens. He pushes his personal agenda and does not act in the best interest of voters.

Cloke, she claimed, “has made significant actions to restrict community participation in the Blue River Water Board. He has restricted access to information for voters. He pushes his personal agenda and does not act in the best interest of voters.”

Reasons cited for the park board recall included complaints that both had “made a point to limit access to the park for residents,” the park is routinely closed for unclear reasons, and that they “routinely come to the park and harass patrons” while also “acting only for personal gain.”

In response, Casad and Cloke said they’d contacted the Oregon Secretary of State to complain ORS 260.715 had been violated. The statute notes that any “factual information provided in a recall petition must be truthful.” It also prohibits “circulators from making false statements to anyone who signs the petition.”

In addition, they’ve also cited ORS 260.575(2), which says it is “illegal to use any form of initiative, referendum, or recall petition to extort, blackmail, or intimidate individuals, including public officials, for personal or financial gain.”

The men feel “these laws have been violated by the Chief Petitioner, Shanon Goodpasture-Lehr, and her co-conspirator, Michael Kruse.” Both feel they should be pursued as Class C felonies under Oregon law.

Josh Cloke resigned from his positions on the Blue River Water & Sanitation and Blue River Park & Recreation board of directors on Monday. The county clerk reports that Tony Casad’s recall election is tentatively scheduled for November 5th. Until the Secretary of State’s formal investigation is complete, Casad and Cloke say they cannot make any further comments.

In response to the recall request Casad has criticized the “selective targeting of two members of the special water district and park board—myself and Josh Cloke—suggests this is a personal vendetta filled with false accusations.”

He says the petition “fails to cite any law that I am alleged to have violated. It also does not specify whether I supposedly violated a civil or criminal statute. Without clear information, it is impossible for me to properly defend myself.”

Cloke also says he “asked Mr. Kruse what law I allegedly broke, and he did not know. The petitioner is not a legal expert—neither a lawyer, prosecutor, nor judge—and is not qualified to make determinations about legal violations. Oregon law demands that petitions be based on facts, not opinions or assumptions.”

Casad says the “absence of concrete allegations alone should be grounds to dismiss this petition.”

Lane County Clerk Dena Dawson has determined that “a formal investigation does not have any bearing on the recall timeline or process.” She added that a recall election for Tony Casad is tentatively scheduled for November 5, 2024.