Additional petitions seeking removal of two Kent City Council members were filed yesterday after being found insufficient by City Clerk Linda Copley on Monday.

Kent resident Beth Oswitch resubmitted petitions asking for the removal of at-large council members Rick Hawksley and Michael DeLeone with 21 additional signatures each.

The original petitions, filed Oct. 20, needed more signatures to be certified by Copley. The petitioners then had 20 days to submit additional names. The petitions for Ward 2 councilman Jack Amrhein, Ward 6 councilwoman Tracy Wallach and Ward 5 councilwoman Heidi Shaffer had enough names and were certified Monday.

This means a total of five council members now face resignation or recall through a special election. According to the Kent City Charter, the council members now have five days from the day the petitions were certified to resign, or they will face a special election in which they might be recalled.

The charter also says this special election must be held within 60 to 75 days from when the petitions were certified.

– Kristen Kotz