News Photo By Temi Fadayomi Onaway School Board Trustee John Palmer speaks on his behalf during his appeal hearing to Judge Aaron Gauthier in the 53rd Circuit Court in Rogers City on Thursday next to Vice President Erin Chaskey and President James Rieger.

ROGERS CITY — On Thursday, 53rd Circuit Court Judge, Aaron Gauthier, granted the appeals of Onaway School Board President James Rieger, Vice President Erin Chaskey, and Trustee John Palmer reversing the decision of the Presque Isle County Election Committee and rendering the petitions against them invalid for circulation.

During the hearing, Rieger, Chaskey, and Palmer made multiple arguments in opposition to the election committee’s decision to approve the language in the recall positions against them.

One argument made by both Rieger and Palmer was that one of the reasons for their recall cited in the petition took place before they were in office as board members thus rendering the entirety petition invalid.

Gauthier agreed with this assertion and granted both of their appeals. Additionally, Gauthier also ruled that the language in Chaskey’s petition was insufficiently clear due to one of the cited offenses in the petition stating that Chaskey was named in a “grievance” filed by a teacher due to “comments” she made in an open meeting on Sept. 20, 2023.

Gauthier stated that due to the lack of specificity in what the grievance was, who the teacher was, and what the comments were, a person approaching these comments on their own would not have the proper context to make a fair determination.

“There is no detail for the grievance, or who it was, or what it was for, and the word comments, it doesn’t even say what comments were even made,” said Gauthier. “A voter being presented with this could assume the worst.”

With Gauthier’s decision, the petitions against Rieger, Chaskey, and Palmer are no longer able to be circulated to obtain signatures.

Palmer commended Judge Gauthier for his decision.

“I think the judge did a fine job,” said Palmer “I think he explained everything well.”

Despite the setback to her recall efforts caused by Gauthier’s decision, Onaway resident Stacey Porter, the original filer of the petition, claims that she plans to submit another petition with adjusted language to have the board members recalled

“It’s not over,” said Porter in a message. “I will refile with things worded differently. I have never done anything like this. The wording is not easy to get right…. but I will get it right!”

Onaway Board of Education Trustee Lorrie Kowalski, who is also appealing the results of their clarity hearing, will be having her hearing in Cheboygan County on Friday.

The clarity hearing was held on Dec.14 where the language of the recall was examined by the Presque Isle County Election Committee to determine if the claims were factual and clear.

Porter’s petitions listed several accusations against the board members that she believes are grounds for recall.

Some of the accusations listed in the petitions include:

* Rieger allegedly violated Board Policy 2302 B(2), which states that a board member will not act in isolation, operating as if a “board of one,” by sending Thrun Law Firm notice on Sept. 1 that, as of Sept. 30, the law firm’s services would no longer be needed and reinstating Thrun Law Firm on Oct. 2 without board approval.

* Chaskey allegedly was named in a grievance filed by an Onaway teacher over negative comments made to the teacher during an open meeting on Sept. 20.

* Palmer allegedly made the comment, “If this is your preference, good for you. It doesn’t belong here. Keep it at home,” in reference to the LGBTQ+ community.

The committee voted 2-1 that the language in the petitions was factual and clear.

Rieger and Kowalski’s term on the board ends on Dec. 31, 2024. Palmer’s term ends on Dec. 31, 2026. Chaskey’s ends on Dec. 31, 2028.