MONROE – A petition to get a recall campaign going against City Councilman Ken Berger was filed Friday with the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office.
“I strongly believe we need to have transparency and openness in elected officials. I don’t believe we are getting that with Ken Berger,” said Meredith Mechling, who is married to former City Councilman Marc Mechling.
In the petition, Meredith Mechling and former City Councilman Jim Hunnicutt say that Berger should be recalled for allegedly violating state campaign finance rules in 2001 and 2003.
In October 2006, Berger agreed to pay the state $20,000 in fees and fines to settle allegations that he concealed his identity as a contributor in city elections in 2001 and 2003.
The allegations surfaced when former City Councilman Mike Donow told the state Public Disclosure Commission that he gave $1,500 to the campaign of Bob Holman in 2001 and $150 each to the campaigns of Chad Minnick and Tom Layson in 2003. Holman unsuccessfully ran against Hunnicutt in 2001.
In each instance, the money was actually from Berger, Donow told the commission.
State law makes it illegal not to disclose the true source of a campaign finance donation.
“When I saw the extent of the PDC investigation, I felt like he shouldn’t be holding a public office,” Meredith Mechling said.
Berger didn’t return phone calls from The Herald on Friday. Berger has served on the council since 1989.
The commission also imposed a $5,000 fine on Donow, but it suspended $3,200 of the total. Donow got a lesser amount because he disclosed the incidents and provided documents for the investigation.
The Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has 15 days to prepare the recall petition for the county’s Superior Court, according to County Auditor Carolyn Diepenbrock. The court will hold a public hearing, then decide within 15 days if the petition has merit.
If approved, recall supporters would have 180 days to collect at least 925 signatures from registered voters in the city to advance the recall. To pass, a majority of voters would then have to approve the recall.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
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