By: Sharon Aron Baron
Tamarac Commissioner Patte Atkins-Grad is not stepping down without a fight. Although her suit was denied by Judge Michael Gates this week, she has filed a notice of appeal Thursday to the 4th District Court of Appeal.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, the actual brief will be filed within 30 days, and then it will be set for a hearing.
With only two weeks left for the Recall Committee to gather the 1,800 signatures needed for the city to hold a special election, volunteers met on Wednesday night. They will be canvassing the district as well as holding petition drives at various locations.
Despite the notice of appeal, recall volunteers say they aren’t deterred.
“No rain, sleet, or hail will stop me from getting signatures,” said Tamarac resident Kevin Muscolino. “I plan on going out and getting as many signatures as I can to oust Patte Atkins-Grad from office.”
In 2010, Atkins-Grad was charged with accepting illegal payments from father and son developers Bruce and Sean Chait to lease a BMW and pay for her election victory party in exchange for voting for their project. Although she was acquitted by a jury last December, many residents felt that her “stupid” defense didn’t add up and no longer wanted her to represent them.
The recall committee was then formed by a group of bipartisan residents. If successful on July 22, it will be the first city in Broward County to successfully recall an elected official.