National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Recall petitions filed against Maple Valley supervisor

Two recall petitions were filed by Trufant resident Robin Poulson on Friday in the Montcalm County Clerk’s Office.

The first petition states that Maple Valley Township Supervisor John Schwandt voted to have a six-month moratorium on wind energy on March 8, 2021.

The second petition states that on that same date, Schwandt voted to remove a ballot question in regard to Ordinance 24 (the township’s recently approved wind energy ordinance) and to cancel a referendum on that ordinance which had been scheduled for May 4, 2021. In response to the referendum effort, the township board rescinded the ordinance and has been working on a new wind ordinance ever since.

The Montcalm County Election Commission will meet to review and rule on the clarity of the reasons for recall at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 3 on the third floor of the Montcalm County Administrative Building in Stanton. The hearing is open to the public.

Schwandt did not return a message from the Daily News on Friday seeking comment.

The recall effort against Schwandt is the second wind-related recall push ongoing in Montcalm County.

Sidney Township Planning Commission member Jeffrey Lodholtz filed recall petitions against Sidney Township Trustee Jed Welder three times in September, October and November 2021, with the Montcalm County Election Commission denying the first two attempts but approving the third.

For the recall to proceed, 274 valid signatures of registered voters in Sidney Township must be collected. Lodholtz turned in 370 signatures to the Montcalm County Clerk’s Office on Thursday. The Clerk’s Office has 35 days to review the signatures. If enough signatures are verified, the Sidney Township recall can go on the May ballot.