Fort Smith Ward 3 city director Mike Lorenz is clearly in the cross hairs of a recent recall election effort spearheaded by the Fraternal Order of Police and Fort Smith firefighters union.
Inside Fort Smith has reached out to the presidents of both the FOP and the firefighters union, organizers of the effort, for clarification on why Lorenz is being targeted first.
FOP president Anthony Parkinson referred us to the co-statement he released on Friday in conjunction with firelighter union president Darrell Clark, who could not be reached for comment.
However, another source tells IFS that Lorez is being targeted first because of feedback from citizens who live in his ward, which organizer’s feel gives the citizens behind the recall campaign their “best chance” to get the needed signatures for the momentum to target the other two.
In addition, any effort beyond the recall attempt at Lorenz is dependent on if anyone is willing to stand for election for the other two non-partisan position.
With the focus on Lorenz and Ward 3, a total of 2,294 signatures will have to be gathered and verified before the issue can be put before the voters. That represents 35% of the vote cast in the 2012 election for the seat in a contested race between Lorenz and Matt Garner. Lorenz ran unopposed in 2016 and state law says the reguired number of signatures then falls back to the last certified election for he position.
If the recall is successful, Lorenz and any other declared candidates would be on the ballot for a special election. Indications are that all directors targeted for recall will be combined into one special election.
Lorenz reportedly released a statement to one statewide political commentary website on Friday which said, in part, there was “a lot of misinformation being circulate about him and the Board, including statements made by the organizations that are behind this recall effort.”
The removal from office of municipal office holders have been few and far between since a state law allowing the recall of elected officials was enacted in 2009. But the November general elections in 2016 saw three out of four mayors that were targeted statewide for recall lose their position, including the mayor of the small Sebastian County town of Hartford.
Then Hartford mayor James Baker was booted out of office for controversy stemming from a renovation effort of City hall and firing of the city’s museum director. Mayors in Humphrey and Earle were also recalled, while the mayor of Hughes managed to hold on to his spot.
Dennis, to give your readers the true reason why the FF union is trying to recall Lorenz. It’s about pay raises, retirement and benefits. This information was cut from the Facebook page of Darrell Clark the FF Union President.
You have asked how could the firefighters want to replace Mike Lorenz? The answer is very easy. He has voted against pay increases, voted to reduce our pension benefits, voted to increase our health insurance premiums, voted to remove the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Chip Sexton, that is a big supporter of fire and police, he says that he does not understand the need for the Civil Service Commission (which leads me to believe that he would also vote to eliminate it), and he made arguments in favor of eliminating our incentive pay program for fire and police. All of these actions have huge negative effects for my members. I constantly speak on behalf of my members, and there is never a two-way discussion. We talk, and they still do whatever they have decided on. We are no longer going to sit idly by. We are public service and cannot strike. We have to use the legal and political routes in Arkansas. Our strength is in our numbers, and that is why the IAFF Local #33 and FOP Lodge #39 and joining forces, our numbers are now doubled. We are working together for our members and their families.