Santa Clarita Official Faces Recall Effort

A citizen’s group, setting in motion the first effort to remove a Santa Clarita council member from office, formally submitted papers to the city clerk Monday announcing plans to collect signatures on recall petitions against Carl Boyer III.

The group submitted a one-paragraph affidavit certifying that Boyer was served a formal notice of recall last Tuesday, just minutes after he voted against killing a large condominium project that had been opposed by homeowner groups.

Carmel Sizer, a spokeswoman for the recall effort, said Monday that the group wanted to oust Boyer because of his pro-growth policies. She charged that Boyer has been unresponsive to residents who want the council to clamp down on runaway development.

Boyer, who could not be reached for comment Monday, has been a civic activist for more than 20 years and is a well-known figure in the Santa Clarita Valley.

He was elected to the first City Council when Santa Clarita incorporated in 1987 and reelected to a four-year term in April with 4,042 votes, trailing the top vote-getter, Jill Klajic, by 39 votes. Klajic, a newcomer to the council, ran on a controlled-growth platform.

The filing of the affidavit is one part of the recall process. Boyer has seven days to respond formally to the recall notice, said Geri Miller-Davis, deputy city clerk. The recall group must have the city clerk approve the wording of the recall petition before the group can begin collecting signatures, Miller-Davis said.

The group must collect signatures from 15% of the city’s 54,000 registered voters--roughly 8,000 signatures--to put Boyer’s name on the ballot, Miller-Davis said.