Forum Views () 
Forum Replies ()  
 
 
Read more with google mobile :
Nunn not too pleased with its politicians  
 
 
 
 
 
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
  
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
 
 
 
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nunn not too pleased with its politicians
 
 
  
 
 By IVAN MORENO,Associated Press Writer -
 Sunday, October 25
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NUNN, Colo. – The tension in the small white room just down the hall from the old school gym was palpable.
 
On one side, the town's seven municipal board members braced for their monthly meeting. Six of the seven are under recall petitions, with one group of residents wanting the mayor and two board members gone, and still another group seeking the recall of three others.
 
Pretty soon some of those same citizens attending the meeting were booing, yelling and clapping _ there was even an occasional plea for decorum.
 
But decorum is in short supply these days in this farming burg of some 500 residents 80 miles north of Denver.
 
"What are you getting from the job that makes you want to hold onto it so tightly when so many citizens are saying this isn't right?" demanded Nunn resident Jennifer Hall, addressing Mayor Pro Tem Christy Alexander, the target of one's group recall.
 
"Because I've had many citizens tell me that what I'm doing is right and that they support me," Alexander responded with a rising voice.
 
"Please don't yell at me," lectured Hall.
 
"I'm not yelling at you," Alexander snapped back. "I can show you yelling."
 
But she then thought better of it and apologized.
 
It seems that Alexander had made about half the crowd angry by revealing that she filed a legal appeal that would block, at least temporarily, the recall vote against her, Mayor Jeff Pigue and board member Jack Smith.
 
Meaning that the Nov. 3 recall election against the other three board members, Karen Burd, Jenny Johnson, and Joyce Taylor, will go forward while Alexander's appeal to Weld County District Court makes its way through the legal system.
 
The reasons for Nunn's civil war run deep _ and wide, depending on who you ask in this town with dirt streets surrounded by short-grass prairie.
 
Resident Carol Holwerda described Nunn as the perfect place to live with generous citizens, and a town slogan, painted on its water tower in more agreeable times, is "Watch Nunn Grow."
 
Now, it might as well be "Watch Nunn Fight."
 
For one side, the removal last year of Mayor Tom Bender became the rallying cry to recall Pigue, Alexander, and Smith, all of whom voted to oust Bender. The trio claimed Bender neglected his job and "exhibited acts of grandeur," and that he'd gone turkey hunting, improperly leaving the town administrator in charge.
 
Bender acknowledged the turkey hunting, but said the charges against him were baseless.
 
"What they did was illegal," he said.
 
Many in town agree.
 
"I have referred to them as pirates. They spit in the face of the voters in this town," said Holwerda, 72, one of the people who started the petition against those board members.
 
The people on the other side of the petition want Burd, Johnson, and Taylor out, contending they consistently vote against paying the town's bills out of a personal vendetta against town clerk Tori McMechen and other staff.
 
Johnson said that's not true, and that she would approve the bills if there was proper record-keeping, including time cards for workers.
 
"That's where a lot of the tension in town is," Johnson said. "The majority of the calls that I get from citizens is telling me that either the maintenance workers are hanging out in the field _ literally sitting there, doing nothing, in their vans outside the city limits, or that the town clerk is not at her office, town clerk is closed."
 
The other side, of course, disagrees.
 
"I have to say, first and foremost, I hate all of this. I don't know if anyone has been brave enough to say that. We don't need this," said Bobbie Crosby, who gathered signatures for Burd, Taylor and Johnson's removal.
 
Town board member Brian Jex was not a target of a recall, partly because he was not around when the previous mayor was removed. But he has resigned his seat anyway.
 
"We are just not getting anything done and I decided I just didn't want to put up with it anymore," he said.
 
Meanwhile, town clerk McMechen not only certified the recall petitions for both sides, but caused a stir by signing those in support of recalling Burd, Johnson and Taylor.
 
"I'm not going to deny it," she said.
 
Resident Tina Hawkinson, a waitress at the Nunn Cafe, said she doesn't think a recall is necessary and called the disagreements petty.
 
"I think they should sit down and discuss everything," said Hawkinson, 47.
 
But one professional mediator who offered his services for free at last month's meeting thought better of it after some board members refused, and he got what he described as alarming glares from residents.
 
"I mean, I didn't even know these people," said Craig Conrad, who claims mediation work with foreign military and police units. "If looks can kill, you know, that kind of thing? I was like, Wow. OK. Maybe this was not such a good idea."
 
Mayor Pigue, 47, who has a day job as a construction worker, said "mediation would've been just beautiful."
 
"We all work, we do this for free. You know, we don't get paid for this," he said, exasperated.
 
Pigue said some of the disputes arise from whether to pay one board member's friends to cut the town's trees, or to let staff do it. Pigue, whose cell phone ringtone emits the theme song from "The Good the Bad and the Ugly," admits that the constant infighting has left him indifferent to the prospect of being recalled.
 
"You know, at this point, I don't give a s---," he said. "I don't."
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recommend
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
Related Articles
 
 
Republicans bash Dems over health care proposals AP - Sunday, October 25
 
Scandal hits Italy leftist party AP - Sunday, October 25
 
Patients _ and patience _ in health care end game AP - Sunday, October 25
 
Egyptians conflicted over preserving Jewish past AP - Sunday, October 25
 
Last Titanic survivor's ashes scattered in England AP - Sunday, October 25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
News Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Top Stories
 
 
 
 
New German govt to slash taxes
Obama declares swine flu emergency
Obama urges banks to help small businesses
Europe swine flu spreads, 'millions' infected in US
Icahn resigns from Yahoo! board
 
 
 
 More Top Stories »
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Most Popular
 
 
 
 
Most Viewed
 
Most Recommended
 
 
 
 
Europe swine flu spreads, 'millions' infected in US
 
Mobile phone giant Nokia sues Apple over patents
 
Microsoft beats expectations to cap off big week
 
Icahn resigns from Yahoo! board
 
Britain must wait to exit recession
 
 
 More Most Viewed »
 
 
 
 
 
Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain
 
Mobile phone giant Nokia sues Apple over patents
 
 
 More Most Recommended »
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
 
 
 
 
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
 
 
Stars and latest movies
 
 
Best travel destinations
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
More on Yahoo! News
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
 
Also on Yahoo
 
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
 
Site Highlights
 
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
  
   
 
 
    
   
 
Other News on Sunday, 25 October 2009 Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 14 dead  
New German govt to slash taxes  
Suspected ETA militants charged in France  
Karzai rival says won't join Afghan government
| International
|  
Saudi female TV journalist gets 60 lashes  
Obama urges banks to help small businesses  
Protesters demand UK pullout from Afghanistan  
Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 15 dead
| International
|  
Saudi female TV journalist gets 60 lashes
| International
|  
Influential Iran lawmakers criticise nuclear deal  
Abbas should face trial for usurping power: Hamas  
Russia's Medvedev says open to election law ideas
| International
|  
UN to inspect atomic plant as Iran delays nod on deal  
U.S. says Syria should release 78-year-old dissident
| International
|  
Strong quake hits eastern Indonesia, causes panic  
Lost keys lead NJ police to burglary suspects  
US mulls direct talks as N.Korea nuclear envoy visits  
15-year-old charged with murder of Mo. girl  
Army captures Pakistani Taliban leader's hometown  
Ensign resignation would set up Nevada scramble  
Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after powerful quake  
How does Ore. candidate roll? With MS, on a Segway  
Another strong quake hits Indonesia  
AP NewsAlert  
Could letting pilots take a nap make flying safer?  
Former child soldiers move on in Sri Lanka  
Nunn not too pleased with its politicians  
Maine girl born with 'mermaid syndrome' dies at 10  
China-Guinea deal highlights Africa business ties  
American sees changes in his North Korean hometown  
Balloon boy's mother admits hoax: affidavit  
Patients _ and patience _ in health care end game  
Myanmar could ease Suu Kyi detention  
'Paranormal Activity' scares up box-office delight  
AP interview: Cosby keeps it clean for humor prize  
Major quake strikes off Indonesia: seismologists  
Domestic Violence Abuse Victims In Illinois Call For Reform Due To Large Number Of Unserved Protection Orders  
Treasury Official Says Over $600 Million Of Credit For First-Time Home Buyers Are Suspicious  
New Jersey Priest Found Dead; Police Suspect Homicide  
UN team to visit Iran uranium plant  
Britons killed on Kenya holiday: Foreign Office  
U.N. experts in Iran to inspect new nuclear site
| International
|  
Recession or not? US economy likely to be in limbo  
Taliban call for Afghan vote boycott, threaten violence  
Pakistan troops retake Taliban stronghold in Waziristan
| International
|  
Karzai rival says won't join Afghan government
| International
|  
Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 14 dead  
New German government to slash taxes  
Ukraine PM enters tight presidential race  
Obama declares swine flu emergency  
Iraqi court seeks arrest of Sunni MP  
Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 15 dead
| International
|  
Israeli police, Arabs clash near Jerusalem mosque
| International
|  
Winds shift as fire burns Puerto Rican oil depot
| International
|  
Pakistan troops retake Taliban stronghold in Waziristan  
Church janitor charged in slaying of NJ priest  
Sydney Harbor Bridge becomes grassy picnic ground  
Australia, China discuss detained Rio executive: Rudd  
Patients _ and patience _ in health care end game  
Mother praises police searching for girl's killer  
SKorea: Summit should help resolve nuclear dispute  
Pakistani army takes Taliban chief's hometown  
Last-gasp Smith saves Australia in Four Nations  
Lawyer blasts release of affidavit in balloon case  
Chinese hurdler Liu advances to 110m hurdle final  
Thousands gather for worldwide climate protests  
Jettisoned bomb destroyed at Utah's Hill AFB  
EPA: Climate bill could cost family $100 annually  
US, N.Korea hold nuclear talks in New York  
SC Episcopalians to distance from national church  
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 807  
Taliban threaten Afghan voters in November runoff  
Thailand, Philippines seek rice row solution: minister  
Indian carmaker Maruti sees quarterly profit jump 93 pct  
At 37, Paul Simon's son makes his musical mark  
First black woman tipped for top French book prize  
Placido Domingo tries out Verdi baritone role  
Italian wine harvest shows good quality but drop in quantity  
Anti-Semitism on the rise in France: Jewish community group  
Party over mood at Russian 'Millionaire Fair'  
'Sweat lodge' tragedy shines spotlight on ancient ritual  
Polanski could face two years prison if extradited
| Entertainment
|  
Sony looks for box office hit with This Is It
| Entertainment
|  
At 37, Paul Simon's son makes his musical mark
| Entertainment
|  
Suicide bombs kill 132 in Baghdad
| International
|  
Young entrepreneurs get tips from Facebook-Twitter  
U.N. experts inspect Iran's new nuclear site
| International
|  
Israeli police, Arabs clash near Jerusalem mosque  
Pakistan forces bomb Taliban in South Waziristan
| International
|  
Twin suicide vehicle bombings kill 99 in Baghdad  
Israeli police storm Jerusalem's holiest site  
UN inspectors to check controversial Iran atomic plant  
Asian leaders seek to reduce Western trade ties
| International
|  
UN inspectors visit once-secret Iranian site  
Twin suicide car bombs kill at least 38 in Baghdad  
Twin Baghdad blasts kill at least 14: medics  
Suicide bombs kill 132 in Baghdad  
British police pursuing leads in Lockerbie case
| International
|  
Uruguay vote pits ex-guerrilla and former president
| International
|  
Singh to Wen: Dalai Lama an honored guest
| International
|  
Somalia's Shabaab rebels execute two for spying
| International
|  
Pakistan forces bomb Taliban in South Waziristan  
Protests in Kashmir over a killing by Indian army  
Japan navy holds review amid questions over future  
Australia edge India in one-day international  
Asian leaders give rival visions for economic blocs  
Kidnapped priest alive but unwell, says mission  
Japan PM in no hurry on US base relocation deal  
World solar car race begins in Australia  
Nuclear energy becomes pivotal in climate debate  
Taiwan president vows to press for China detente  
The nation's weather  
Scottish police 'reviewing Lockerbie bombing probe'  
Reformatory's closing prompts reflection  
Chinese ship collides with Belgian cargo vessel  
Look at insurgent groups on Afghan-Pakistan border  
Obama declares swine flu a national emergency  
SKorean railway workers vote to strike  
Global events mark magic number on climate change  
China proposes Taiwan economic cooperation talks  
Pilot who overshot airport denies crew was napping  
Asian leaders' rival visions for economic blocs  
JAL new state-backed agency restructuring: reports  
S.Korea nuclear power unit resumes operation-Yonhap  
China to keep yuan weak until crisis over: experts  
Japanese automakers' hydrogen car drive  
'Polygamy club' draws criticism in Indonesia  
Strong quake hits eastern Indonesia, causes panic  
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary  
HK investors see wine as good bet for capital growth  
From Canada to Argentina, fans shake to "Thriller"  
For Zimbabwe's deportees, shame at empty-handed return  
Composer Lloyd Webber has prostate cancer: BBC
| Entertainment
|  
Ex-Smiths singer Morrissey stable after collapsing on stage
| Entertainment
|  
Singer Morrissey released from hospital  
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro  
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found  
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever  
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production  
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time  
AMD to Start Production of piledriver  
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs  
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia  
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air  
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch  
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent  
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up  
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform  
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis  
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets  
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights