Sarah Costain

ALPENA — Alpena Township resident Yvonne Johnson has again submitted documents to trigger the recall of three members of the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education, according to a Friday press release.

On Friday, Johnson submitted petition language to begin the recall of APS board members Sarah Costain, Monica Dziesinski, and Eric Lawson.

Johnson submitted nearly identical petitions in January then withdrew them after she discovered a clerical error; the original petition language contained an incorrect date for a vote the board members cast.

“There was a minor issue that caused a delay,” Johnson said in the press release. “But the recall campaign is moving forward. Alpena’s students deserve school board members who are present, make decisions that help our kids succeed, and safeguard our tax dollars.

“The recall is an important part of our democratic process,” Johnson added in the release. “Recall will give voters the opportunity to decide if they’re satisfied with these school board members’ decisions, or if they want other representation on the board.”

Johnson plans to collect signatures in the spring and early summer. If enough valid signatures are gathered, Costain, Dziesinski, and Lawson will be back on the ballot to face challengers for their seats in November. Without the recall, their terms are not set to expire until 2028.

The recall effort is still in its infancy and there are many procedures that need to be followed before it ends up on the ballot, likely in November.

The next step before the petitions can be circulated for signatures includes a review by the Alpena County Election Commission, Johnson said when the petition was originally filed in January.. The review will be completed in 10 to 20 days from Friday.

The election commission will look at petition language and ensure that the petition is factual and sufficiently clear.

There needs to be 3,921 valid signatures collected on each petition within a 60 day window.

Johnson said she intends to go door-to-door seeking support and have the petitions available at local events for people to sign.

If enough signatures are collected and verified by Alpena County Clerk Keri Bertrand, then the three board members’ names will be on the November ballot. Challengers also need to face them, Johnson said.

“I believe there are folks in our community that are willing to step up to challenge these candidates on the ballot,” Johnson said.