By: Sharon Aron Baron
A date has been set for the special recall election in Tamarac. Circuit Court Judge Weinstein released a signed order specifying October 15, between 30-60 days required by Florida Statute.
Atkins-Grad’s Attorney, Stuart Michelson, had initially requested 60 days which is the maximum time allowed, as his client is in the appeals process. Weinstein may have taken his request into consideration scheduling the election 48 days from today.
If Atkins-Grad resigns before the recall election, the election will be canceled. The election will be held like any other municipal election, and residents in District Two can vote either by absentee ballot or at the polls.
They will have two choices on their ballot: Whether Patricia Atkins-Grad should be removed from office or whether Patricia Atkins-Grad should not be removed 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, residents felt that her “stupid” defense didn’t add up and no longer wanted her to represent them, forming a legal recall effort to remove her from office.
The City Clerk announced last week that volunteers who were part of the recall effort successfully obtained enough signatures during two rounds of the recall process. During the final round in which 15 percent of District Two of Tamarac’s signatures were needed, they achieved 2,296 signatures, 421 more than the 1,875 required.
Atkins-Grad was absent from the City Commission Meeting this morning, where city attorney Sam Goren announced.
Order for the Special Recall Election of Patricia Atkins-Grad
