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Two recall petitions against Oakland County Commission Chair approved
Oakland County residents looking to replace the chair of the county commissioners are one step closer to doing so after recall petitions get the green light from election officials.
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oakland County residents who are looking to replace the chair of the county commissioners are one step closer to doing so after recall petitions got the green light from election officials.
Big picture view:
The group "I Am Oakland County" and others want to remove the head of the Oakland Board of Commissioners, largely over the way a meeting was held discussing the use of Flock Safety drones.
Two out of three recall petitions against Oakland County Commission Chair Dave Woodward were unanimously approved by the Oakland County Election Commission. Woodward is a Democrat who represents parts of Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Troy.
The recall campaign comes after a County Commission meeting earlier this month when officials voted to move public comment to the end of the meeting before approving a measure to buy a fleet of drones used for public safety.
Some say the drones amount to too much "Big Brother" and compromise privacy. Supporters say it’s only an additional tool to respond to 911 calls. The dispute has received a viral reaction on social media.
On Monday night, FOX 2 heard from Oakland County Commission Chair Woodward, who sent a statement which reads:
"People behind this recall are more interested in stirring up chaos and helping Republicans win. Others are advocates for political violence. Voters see this for what it is."
"I’m focused on doing the things voters expect me to do, and that is lowering costs and raising wages for working families. They want me to continue to deliver real results to make our community better, protect the most vulnerable among us, and make sure our communities are healthy and safe. My voters stand with me on these priorities, and this political stunt by a few will not distract me from expanding opportunities for all families across Oakland County."
Unless Woodward files an appeal, the group behind the recall has 60 days to collect signatures.
The other side:
Meantime, FOX 2 spoke with Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard on Monday, who wanted to set the record straight on the use of the drones. He says it’s about responding to emergencies—not surveillance.
"These respond to calls for help, calls for service. The largest number of calls where we use drones are search and rescue," Bouchard said. "Every week we are responding to a child that’s run away from home, or is missing, or an Alzheimer’s patient who is away from his memory care facility, or a mental health crisis where someone is threatening to commit suicide and has gone off into the woods. Those are the majority of calls that we typically use a lot of our assets for, but it’s a call-driven response—drones as first responders. It’s not a surveillance tool."