An effort to recall the controversial city councilor Belinda Ray of District 1 is underway for failing to represent her constituents in ways which are conducive to the well-being and safety of Munjoy Hill residents according to the organizer of the effort,, Elizabeth Capone-Newton, MPH, a Hill resident as well. The press release from Capone-Newton was received this evening by mhn.com.
Capone-Newton is looking for 250 petition signatures by the close of business tomorrow, Monday, February 24th. Following the receipt of these signatures, they will be forwarded to the city clerk’s office who has 7 days to prepare the petitions for a 30 day recall. If approved, the petition to recall Ray will be on the March 3rd municipal ballot. Ray, Thibodeau, and Mavadones are up for re-election next year. (If they don’t get re-elected, city council meetings would be much shorter and interesting without the boring self-promotion).
Capone-Newton lists numerous reasons why Ray should be recalled. Among them are her vote for the loss of Engine 1 on the Hill and her support for the homeless shelter to be located next to a dump. Out of view of her wealthy constituents on the Hill. It’s clear that Ray is a puppet of city manager Jon Jennings and a rubber stamp for the wealthiest in District 1.
Once this blogger, a life-longer renter, asked Ray a question about renters rights in face of the on-going gentrification on the Hill. What is the city doing to ease the plight of renters during this hard time? Besides nothing. The question was asked at a MunjoyHillNeighborhoodOrganization public meeting at which she agreed to appear and take questions. Ray was annoyed by the question and practically spit-in my face at the question. How dare this renter have the audacity to mention renters rights in her presence! ‘Cuse me, mam.
Last May, Jackie Burns, a lifelong resident of Munjoy HIll, attended a rally of 50 residents at the Munjoy Hill fire station, seeking to stop the decommissioning of Engine 1. Burns shared that she still remembers her mother telling her about the fire that ravaged half the neighborhood in the early 1900s. (See the above left photo of Jacquie Burns – the first to sign the recall petition at the conclusion of her 80th birthday party).
Ray was strikingly absent from the rally. Both State Rep. Mike Sylvester and former Mayor Ethan Strimling were there. But not Raw – I mean Ray. Last May she declined to meet with firefighters to discuss the budget. She voted down the May 20 budget amendment for $400,000. that would have changed the outcome of the fire station on Munjoy Hill. Raw needs to be recalled – now.
Does Capone-Newton want to replace Ray on the City Council? She didn’t say.
For more information on how to recall Councilor Ray, please call Elizabeth at 207-482-9347.