Those advocating for a recall of Manteca Mayor Ben Cantu have yet to file required documents with the city clerk with the signatures of 20 registered voters residing in Manteca.

After serving Cantu before the Oct. 27 City Council meeting with a notice of intent to initiate circulate a recall petition state law requires a similar document to be filed with the city clerk within seven days along with an affidavit as how it was served.

The notice presented to Cantu had 21 signatures.

As of Tuesday at 3 p.m., City Clerk Cassandra Candini-Tilton indicated her office had yet to receive the required notice and affidavit. The city clerk’s office would need to receive it by the end of business today.

The intent lists three grounds for Cantu’s recall:

*Inexcusable neglect. Organizers based that on the San Joaquin County Grand Jury report that found after Cantu got elected the city got rid of department heads and replaced them with people who “lacked the experience, qualifications, and financial acumen” respective positions required to completely perform their jobs. That, according to the Grand Jury, created a dysfunctional situation that triggered chaos and turmoil throughout city government.

*Investigations/settlements of lawsuits: The petitioners cite the haphazard execution of administrative leaves that were precursors to department heads leaving the city was the catalyst for several lawsuits resulting in investigations costing between $40,000 and $60,000 each. That, combined with several packages and settlements cost the city over $1 million in two years. Since the grand jury report the city paid another $499,000 in settlements.

*Failure to enforce laws: The intent states for “three long years after taking office, the mayor has intentionally failed to enforce laws and address the growing homeless encampments in the City, and specifically in city parks enjoyed by all citizens. Failure to address these issues has created a public safety issue and is detrimental to nthe citizens of Manteca and out qualify of life.”

If the required documents are turned in today the signatures need to be verified as registered city voters before actual petitions needed to possible trigger an actual recall election.

Election Code section 11221 states that 20 percent of qualified signatures are required to qualify a special election to conduct a recall vote. Based on the fact there were 38,434 registered voters in Manteca as of June 8, 2020, it would require signatures of 7,687 verifiable City of Manteca registered voters to trigger a recall.

A recall election would cost taxpayers $202,000 to conduct on June 7 based on figures provided to the City Council when they were mulling the possibility of a mayoral primary on that date. If the effort misses that date, a separate election would be needed that would cost more.

Cantu, who has indicated he intends to seek a second term, will be up for re-election Nov. 8, 2022.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com