In early summer of 2019, a concerned group of Chicoans served Mayor Randall Stone and Councilmember Karl Ory with official intent to recall papers. The group did so citing a lengthy list of grievances, including an abject failure to uphold the city’s basic charter and mission statement, a total disregard for protecting our local waterways while pursuing local climate change policies, ignoring public safety while choosing to support and enable criminal drug addicted transients, opposing common sense housing solutions for local working residents and families while pursuing tiny home villages and low barrier shelters located within local school zones, and failing to maintain council chamber decorum while silencing and censoring constituents at city council meetings. The recall group confidently states that their recall efforts over the past several months, along with the investigative efforts of local news journalists (specifically Chico E-R’s Robin Epley’s investigation into Mayor Randall Stone blocking and censoring his constituents on Facebook) have validated their numerous grievances. “Since the recall was initiated, our city electorate has witnessed the Mayor’s own majority members (Schwab and Huber) call him to task for his ‘bullying’ and ‘oppressive’ nature.” Just a few weeks later the Chico E-R exposed that the Mayor had selectively blocked and censored a lengthy list of Chico residents from being able to comment or respond to his official mayoral Facebook page. Per a Public Records Act (PRA) request, it was proven that Mayor Stone and other majority council members blocked community members from their social media accounts. Many members of the Recall effort were among those blocked. Additionally, a Chico resident was forced to serve the City (and Mayor) an official ‘Cease and Desist’ letter for preventing him the right to speak on topics on the agenda, as well as allowing public speakers to personally attack his character from the podium (a clear violation of Robert’s Rules of Order and Chico City Council decorum). Censoring constituents at the podium and on social media is a clear violation of the First Amendment. The comportment by these Councilmen and their inability to follow the Charter and Roberts Rules of Order has placed the City in a position of liability in current and future lawsuits. The recall group also states that Stone and Ory have willfully ignored two recent surveys (one of which was city-sponsored) which highlighted that the majority of Chicoans were concerned most about Public Safety and Homelessness. However, Stone & Ory, along with their majority council, have chosen to pursue a focus on marijuana dispensaries, global climate change, low barrier shelters and a diversity action plan (when there are already solid diversity laws in place). Due to the following two districting news articles, https://www.chicoer.com/2019/11/11/chico-councilto-consider-district-based-elections-under-threat-of-lawsuits/ and https://www.actionnewsnow.com/content/news/Chico-City-Council-looking-at-big-changes564776862.html, the Recall group called an emergency meeting to discuss our options. In light of the lawsuit filed on behalf of an unknown citizen to insist that Districting be enacted in order to elect our City Council, the Recall group has decided that our efforts should come to a halt. When the recall was launched it was assumed that replacement candidates, residing ANYWHERE within city limits would be viable to run. Now that the city will most likely adopt district voting (it would cost millions to fight it in court), it follows that replacement candidates would have to reside in very specific districts within city limits. In point of fact, this could even mean that Stone and Ory would have to run against each other to win a district due to their residences being in close proximity. The recall group was quick to acknowledge that this would have a potentially significant impact on a special recall election process. And in light of the additional expense a special election would already have on city expenditures, they feel the best decision at this juncture is to “halt the recall and focus instead on identifying and supporting 2020 candidates that support Public Safety, Clean Water Ways, Improved Roadways, Common Sense Housing, and Consolidated Wrap-around services for the Homeless. Continuing on in the signature validation process would end up costing the city time and money for an endeavor that is now fruitless in light of this unexpected lawsuit which has an extremely aggressive deadline for compliance.” We want to thank the thousands of citizens who supported this Recall effort and those who donated to the effort as well. We also send our gratitude to our volunteers who spent countless hours tabling and walking the neighborhoods. In light of the above points, it is vital that each and every one of us must vote, and we must vote wisely in 2020. Vote city issues and not your political party. Do your homework and never let people like these two councilmen take control of our City of Chico again. It is our fervent hope that the next election cycle will lead us to once again be able to experience a beautiful, clean and safe City of Chico. Sincerely, Recall Councilmen Stone & Ory