By GARY GRAY
May 30 2002
Public vote on JEA bonds could take place if petition succeeds. Dale Wilson and about 20 supporters of a petition drive to stop the city's action to guarantee Jackson Energy Authority revenue bonds on Wednesday dropped off more than 3,000 signatures in City Hall.
The amount is about 400 short of what state law requires to reverse the May 7 City Council vote to back the bond, but the additional signatures will be submitted on Thursday before the 5 p.m. deadline, Wilson said.
"We're here to ask you to let the community make their own choice," Wilson announced while laying stacks of papers on the desk of Russ Truell, city recorder. "We still have people out there beating on doors, and I'm fully confident that we'll get what we need."
On the flip side, John Williams, JEA president and CEO, said he welcomes a public referendum which could result if the petition succeeds.
"Frankly, I hope they do come through," Williams said. "Seriously. This is not political posturing. We've got a positive project and a positive story."
But Wilson and others opposed to the council's action hope to collect the required 3,395 signatures that would end, for now, JEA's entrance into the high-speed, fiber optic arena. The signatures now will be put in order and presented to Kim Buckley, Madison County administrator of elections, for official verification.
Meanwhile, some gray areas still exist as to what Truell does with the signatures and when. More than two weeks have passed since the council passed a plan for the city to back JEA's venture. During that time, a vociferous and well-publicized opposition has been on the march. Truell said he was waiting to hear from Lewis Cobb, Jackson city attorney. He also said he had not asked anyone else about what his duties are and what time line he should adhere to regarding the petition.
"No, he has not responded," Truell said. "I guess I could keep sitting on them indefinitely, but then someone could sue us. For now, I'm going on what Kim Buckley told me."
Buckley said she is following advice from attorneys for the state election coordinator's office. That advice does not include any answer as to when she can expect the signatures from the city.
"I've been told that when we complete the check, the matter goes back to the City Council," Buckley said. "They can accept that the consequence of the successful petition drive means their vote is no good, or they must call for a referendum. The election commission doesn't call for the referendum, the city does. And once they do, the election must be held within 45 to 60 days. I'm not sure as to the exact number of days."
Once the election commission receives the materials, Buckley and three workers will check each signature. First, they will make sure the person who signed is a registered voter. Second, they will verify that the voter resides in Jackson. Third, they will check addresses to see if they match those given on voter registration cards. The ones that do not match will be thrown out, with the exception of a voter who moved but still votes at the same precinct, she said. Finally - and this could be the most important element - workers will bring up signatures from voter registration cards on computer screens to check the handwriting of the signature.
"Sometimes when a person ages and becomes elderly, their signature changes," Buckley said. "That's understandable. But if a husband has signed the wife's name or vice versa, it's pretty easy to tell."
The election office has 15 days to complete its job once materials are delivered, Buckley said.
"If we're moving fast we can verify about 100 signatures an hour," she said. "But I've never been down this road before."
- Gary Gray, (731) 425-9680