LA GRANDE – The Education/Workforce Development Committee is circulating petitions for the recall of three board members of the Union-Baker Educational Services District.

If enough qualifying signatures are gathered to place the recall measure on the ballot, the three face losing their positions in the Nov. 2 election.

Ray Stinnett of the Education/Workforce Committee said the group would have a booth at next week’s Union County Fair, starting on Wednesday.

Stinnett said the purpose of the booth was to gather signatures on the recall petitions. Information on the group’s objections to U-B ESD actions will also be available.

The petitions, already circulating, call for the removal of Don Starr of Summerville, Rich Cason of Elgin and Kelly Anderes of La Grande.

The Education/Workforce Committee alleges “significant evidence of criminal behavior, malfeasance and fraud,” according to Stinnett.

A fraud audit on the Union-Baker ESD is being completed by Dickey and Tremper, an accounting firm in Pendleton. This followed earlier allegations made to the board.

Stinnett said the group is concerned with the purchase of a private plane by the ESD, possible abuses of a credit card available to board members and possible no-bid contracts.

Stinnett said the group has accused Cason and Anderes of being uninformed on the issues and of poor decision making. Cason is presently chairman of the board.

Stinnett called the board decision to allow continued use of the credit card “outrageous.” Credit card records that Stinnett said have been submitted to the auditors show spending totals of $46,375 from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2003.

The records Stinnett provide on Schumacher’s expenditures total $6,886 over a 3-year period. Included is a $773 charge at the Dallas Hyatt on Dec. 7, 2002, and $500 and $518 charges at the Vention in Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2000.

According to the same report, charges were also incurred by Lyle Mann and Lenny Williams, both hired program directors.

Williams’ ex-wife, Rhonda Williams Stewert incurred charges of $10,646 between Aug. 1, 2000, and Jan. 17, 2003,, again according to the records provided by Stinnett.

Stinnett said many of the expenditures were questionable – those to Crate & Barrel in Illinois, the Bass Pro Shop in Illinois, Cascade Cigar and Tobacco, a local hair dresser and for local meals when there is no policy for in-district reimbursement.

The ESD purchase of a plane to be used for agency business showed a cost of $90,000. Stinnett said a $50,000 nonrefundable deposit was not shown.

Stinnett also said that the record shows a brother-in-law of a board member was offered a no-bid contract for more than $30,000. The contractor, Stinnett said, was no longer bonded after 2000.

Papers for the three petitions were filed with the Union County Clerk’s office on July 12.

The chief petitioners for the recall drive are Dan Garrick of Baker City, Carol Byron of La Grande, and Dennis Wilkinson, also of La Grande.

All are members of the Education/Workforce Committee. Wilkinson chairs the group.

A criminal investigation isunder way by the Oregon State Police.