Commissioner Coster Adds Voice To White Pine Recall Petition

The drive to recall White Pine County Commissioners Mike Lemitch and John Lampros got a major boost this week when it was endorsed by fellow Commissioner Mike Coster.

“I will sign it,” Coster re-iterated in an interview with the High Desert Advocate.

Last month three White Pine County residents James Adams, Timothy McGowan and Cheryl Ann Noriega filed notice of recall against Lemich and Lampros.

But filing for a recall is one thing, getting enough valid signatures to force a recall election is quite another.

According to County Clerk Lin Burleigh recall supporters must garner at 821 signatures of White Pine County voters who actually vote in the 2010 election.

“That’s 25 percent of the total number of voters who voted in the 2010 election.” Burleigh said. “They have 90 days, until October 8th.”

While not impossible the task is far from easy and perhaps made even more difficult because unlike the privacy of the voting booth the names on a recall petition are public record.

Coster’s support of the drive not only gives a much needed political push to the effort but could also quell trepidation among other would be signers that they could be sued if they signed the petition.

Last week both Lemich and Lampros filed defamation suits against the three recall filers claiming the statements made against them were untrue and false and that both men experienced monetary damages.

“From reading the NRS I really think this suit was filed to stop the recall process,” Coster said.

In a post on the White Pine/Ely Politics facebook page Coster wrote:

Fragments of some interesting reading about defamation cases, not necessarily relevant to Nevada or White Pine County:

“Furthermore, defamation suits can be abused. Sometimes, individuals who speak out against abuses are tagged with large defamation suits that are often meritless. During the past decade, commentators coined the term Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPP suits, to describe these suits.”

“Libel-proof plaintiffs: This defense holds that some plaintiffs have such lousy reputations that essentially they are libel-proof. The theory is that one cannot harm someone’s reputation when that person already has a damaged reputation.”

The notice against Lampros states:

“Under John Lampros’ leadership, spending within White Pine County has exploded. With the recent commitment to a swimming pool that is far beyond our needs and completely over the top with costs of construction and known operating expenses, plus the reckless and completely unplanned attempt at replacing the County annex building, resulting in money being paid out for nothing. Purchasing the Ely Times building, with known problems, possibly with as much age and probably with as many problems as the current structure, and again unknown cost to make this building usable, coupled with other unbudgeted, unplanned expenditures, has seriously reduced fund balances leaving the County saddled with future debt loads beyond our means.

The current budget has a $1.4+ million shortfall not including these building commitments.

On numerous occasions, Lampros has exhibited very unprofessional behavior, use of vulgar language, berating individuals (including fellow commissioners), who dare to take issue with his pet projects, leadership style, or vote against his desires. Intimidation and physical pressure has even resulted in Sheriff investigations for assault.

We are asking the people to take this necessary action by removing John Lampros before this County is forced back into insolvency through continued mismanagement.”

The petition against Lemich read:

“Mike Lemich, along with the Chairman has spearheaded the economic disaster that this county now finds itself in. In addition to poor fiscal management, Lemich has taken very combative and pushed personal vendettas against the private operator at the Airport and members of the Airport Board. Accusations, intimidations, lies and outright threats against both the operator and their customers have far crossed the line of ethics. He has continued to press these issues, even though both county and private attorneys have stated that no legalities are at issue.

He has taken upon himself to dismantle the County Fire and EMS services, violating and/or subjecting the County to NRS violations and placing outlying communities in grave risks due to lack of timely services, while simultaneously negotiating land exchanges for the county.

He’s been the subject of several state and local investigations, including pending assault of a local citizen. White Pine deserves better.”