A Cape Coral man aiming at Mayor Marni Sawick says he's trying to get her booted from office. This push comes weeks after Sawicki resolved a domestic dispute involving her ex-boyfriend, a city firefighter.
The mayor claimed she was so afraid of her ex she missed a city council meeting because of his threats.
Jack Mattachione says the idea of a petition recall has been brewing for a while and the recent domestic dispute made him want to take action sooner.
"She wouldn't lower the flag for a local veteran who was killed by a terrorist," Mattachione said. "And she's taxing wounded vets."
He says he just wants Sawicki out of office.
"If I was her I'd resign. I wouldn't even stand for a recall. She's embarrassed this town enough."
Mattachione is one of more than 50 people who plan to gather signatures to formally submit a recall petition.
"She lacks the professional boundaries needed for someone in her level of government," he said.
"She should have never been involved with this fire fighter this is a professional boundary and that is inappropriate and in most cases you would get fired for that."
Mattachione says he plans to file the petition in August since there is a strict 30 day requirement to gather all signatures to successfully complete the petition.
The recall is a lengthy process. The grounds for recall include:
1. Malfeasance
2. Misfeasance
3. Neglect of duty
4. Drunkenness
5. Incompetence
6. Permanent inability to perform official duties; and
7. Conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude
This process involves two phases. The first phase requires 5% of registered voters to sign the recall petition. Based on the number of registered voters in the Cape, there needs to be about 5500 signatures collected in 30 days from the date the first signature is obtained. Once enough signatures are collected, the petition goes on to phase 2, requiring 15% of registered voter's signatures in a separate 30 day-period.
You can find the detailed recall process here.
"She don't want to talk to me because she don't like anybody that criticizes her in any way," he said.
When FOX 4 asked Mattachione if he thought he was slandering Sawicki, he simply responded, "I'm not slandering her, I'm not saying anything that isn't public."
Jack says the mayor isn't talking so Four In Your Corner went to get her response on this recall in it's planning stages.
Mayor Sawicki was not in the office nor was she available for comment today.
Meanwhile Four In Your Corner spoke with Cape Coral City Clerk, Rebecca Van Deutekom about the recall process. She says it's a complicated but not impossible to recall an elected official, but has yet to see anyone follow through with the process.
"I've not had a recall petition since I've been the clerk and I've been the clerk since 2010,"Van Deutekom said.
