The recall petition filed earlier this year against Emporia City Commissioner Erren Harter is now at an end.
The petition was circulated earlier this year by members of Emporia Neighbors United and became the focus of a legal battle between Commissioner Harter and Jay Vehige, Haley Bradford, Kathleen Lamb, Lyon County Legal Counsel Molly Priest and Lyon County Clerk Amie Jones, which concluded Thursday. Harter, who originally declined comment to KVOE News Thursday, felt there were some misunderstandings regarding the recent development and later offered comment to KVOE News to explain the situation from his standpoint.
According to Harter, the situation began when the petition, which was seeking to place the recall question on the ballot, began circulating across the community this past summer with a deadline of October 30 to reach a necessary number of signatures to become an official ballot question. Per state law, Harter also had a period to respond to the effort, which he chose to do.
Harter claims the circulators of the petition attempted to withdraw it shortly after he secured legal counsel.
Harter claims that while both sides signed the agreement, which serves as an injunction barring any further circulation of this specific recall petition, the offer for the agreement was made by the petitioners’ legal counsel.
While the recall petition is now at an end due to the signing of the order Thursday, it does not bar future petitions of the same nature being circulated.
This also does not bring to an end Harter’s time in the legal realm, as a separate petition, circulated earlier this year as well, has led to the empaneling of a grand jury to investigate allegations against Harter of misconduct while in office. Harter told KVOE News Friday he will let the situation play out as it will; however, he maintained innocence of any wrongdoing.
The grand jury empaneling will be a closed-door procedure. KVOE News will provide updates as they are made available.
