Mountain House Community Services District board member Jass Singh may face a recall vote in this November’s elections. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
According to a letter authorized by San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Austin Erdman on Friday, June 29, residents circulating a petition to recall Singh in the Nov. 6 general election gained the required number of signatures to put the question to a vote.
The letter explained that the recall group needed 731 signatures by law, and the registrar’s office had reportedly verified 838 signatures.
A spokeswoman for the 30-member recall group, Angel Lamb, said the petition was circulated because Singh had become a liability to the community.
Angel Lamb, sister-in-law of Director Jim Lamb, said Singh had made derogatory comments in public about community landscaping company ValleyCrest, community planner Trimark, the Lamb family and various ethnic groups and had made profane hand gestures during a board meeting.
She said all of his actions were documented anonymously in a “Recall Jass” blog, but the blog is no longer operational.
“He’s just an evil person,” Angel Lamb said. “He does not have good intentions. It was something we discussed right after he was elected (in 2010).”
She said she and others were doing their “civic duty” by letting voters decide whether Singh should be kicked off the board two years before his term expires.
“I don’t think we’re happy — nobody wants to do this,” she said.
Singh responded in an email sent Thursday, July 5.
He wrote that the recall was intended as a distraction by other directors who supported a pay raise for the general manager and other expenditures, including renewal of the community’s landscaping contract.
He said that the hand gesture he allegedly made at one meeting was taken out of context and that he had been adjusting his glasses.
“I hope the residents will remember in November who stands for a normal proposal and bid process and who stands for reasonable compensation, lowering taxes, lowering water bill and reduce MHCSD debt/liabilities by reducing expenditures,” he wrote.
According to Bassem Nakhla, county registrar candidate-filing supervisor, the Mountain House board could vote not to allow the question to be placed on the ballot. The board’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 11.
If the board does not take action within 14 days of that meeting, Nakhla said, the recall question will automatically be placed on the Nov. 6 ballot.
A tip of my hat to all the volunteers who succeeded in getting this recall in motion!
By the way, Ms. Rizzo, it isn't a group of 30 people - it's more like 800 . His actions were not documented anonymously, either. Your article might have approached "balanced" if you'd have mentioned the numerous substantive reasons why people want this guy off the board.
I wish TP would hire better, less biased reporters...