Recall Petition announced against board chairman 

LODGEPOLE -- The Lodgepole Village Board accepted the resignation of Village Secretary/Treasurer Julie Hays. 

Her resignation was added to the January 6 agenda. The board meeting also included removing Hays’ name from all Village accounts. 

Board Chairperson Susan Mitchell said AMGL CPAs & Advisors of Grand Island will be doing many of the duties of treasurer.  

“I have an update from AMGL. The books are reconciled outside of G-Works, through September 2025. They are currently just needing to get G-Works online, up and running. And once  they’ve  transitioned to the software fully, they will make the adjusting entries to reconcile through September 2025. Then, they’ll just transfer over October through December or January, wherever  we’re at, in the month, “ Mitchell said. 

Lodgepole resident Gordy Wilkinson announced he is leading a recall petition to remove board chairperson Susan Mitchell.  

“It’s a hard thing to do, to admit you’re wrong. It’s very hard. I need to apologize to the board, to the village. In the September 2nd  meeting, with some ladies there, I spoke up in support of the Mitchells. I did not know the facts. I was wrong. Since then, I have observed the behavior, on Facebook, in the office, by an individual in this town.  

 Cheyenne County Clerk, Jordan Hajek said she is required to follow the Nebraska Recall Petition and Election Procedures and Statutes. She said the Lodgepole recall is in the beginning stages. She said the clerk’s office must wait 20 days from the date the  chairman  was served, giving her time for a defense statement.   

 No signatures can be gathered until the county clerk creates the petitions. Both statements have to be read to the registered voter before a signature is obtained.  

 If the recall effort goes to a special election, the cost of the election will be carried by the village, according to the Cheyenne County Clerk’s Office.