Commissioner: 'This is democracy in action'

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. -- The Fair Oaks Fire District has avoided a recall, after the board members facing the effort turned in their resignations.

Emily Blakely, a recall petitioner, told KPIC News that she thinks all parties will be relieved. "Linda Davis, Lee Mack and Carol Wilson will be happy to go back to being regular citizens again," said Blakely.

Now, the county commissioners will step in and appoint a new applicant to fill one position, similair to what they had to do after three members of the Winston-dillard Fore Board were recalled.

There are two existing board members, but three are needed for a quorum.

Once commissioners appoint the third member, that quorum will select the other two members.

Susan Morgan, Douglas County Commissioner, says they are ready to start taking applications. "We welcome the residents and the citizens there to come forward if they're interested," she said.

Mary Rosemeyer, a former board member herself, said the hard times with the district are not neccessarily behind them. "It's gonna take a whole lot of time," she said. "A whole lot of effort to get this thing straightened out."

To be eligible for the board, you must be a Douglas County registered voter and live in the Fair Oaks Fire District.

Blakely said the recall effort wasn't just about the people on the board. "This is not really political, this involves the community."

Mary and Emily helped collect 175 signatures per board member to force the recall election, and they say all that hard work paid off.

Morgan praised the effort by community members, saying, "This is democracy in action."