CENTERTON -- Mayor Bill Edwards won reelection in November, but an effort is underway to recall him.
Edwards said he's heard rumors about the recall, but doesn't know the basis for it.
"Just because I won isn't a reason to recall me," he said. "You don't recall someone because they won."
He said he has not done anything to warrant being recalled.
Edwards will begin his fourth term in January.
A website promoting a recall effort -- https://centertonrecallofbilledwards.wordpress.com -- claims the public didn't support Edwards' reelection last month because a combined 52% of the voters supported the other four candidates.
There is nothing on the website that indicates who is responsible for it.
The website is critical of Edwards for issues with the Police Department, the arrest of Ricky Hudson and the euthanizing of two dogs at the city's animal shelter.
Hudson was arrested in December 2021 in connection with theft of property and fraudulent use of a credit card. He was head of the city's Public Works Department, but resigned in October 2021 after being found intoxicated at work, according to court documents.
Hudson is accused of stealing items valued at more than $25,000 from the city and using the city's credit cards to purchase items valued at more than $25,000. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Cody Wilson, who was director of the city's animal shelter, was fired last month after euthanizing two dogs one day after they had been brought to the shelter.
In the Nov. 8 election, Edwards received 2,514 votes (48%), followed by Michael Commet with 1,014 votes (19%). Others in the race were Wendy Henson with 838 votes (16%); Lance Johnson, 634 votes (12%); and Mike Blakeman, 226 votes (4%), according to official results.
Edwards finished more than 20% ahead of his nearest competitor, Commet, according to official results. A candidate who receives at least 40% of the votes cast and is at least 20% ahead of the votes cast for the second-place candidate avoids a runoff, according to state statute.
Commet filed a petition for a recount two days after the election and asked for a hand recount. The recount resulted in no change in the race when compared to Nov. 8 general election results, according to Kim Dennison, Benton County election coordinator.
Commet said afterward he asked for a recount because people were not happy with the results.
Commet did not return a telephone call, a text message or a Facebook message sent to him last week.
Henson said she's aware of the recall effort, but has neither seen nor signed a petition. She said she has not decided whether she will sign the petition.
Henson said she believes Edwards needs to take accountability for the issues with his department heads that bring negative attention to the city.
Johnson said he recently learned about the petition.
"If it gets enough signatures, I'm OK with it if that's what the citizens of Centerton want," he said.
Johnson said he doesn't plan to participate in the recall effort, but if one is successful, "I will definitely put my name back in the ring."
The Arkansas Legislature passed a law in 2009 establishing a procedure for seeking a recall election for an elected official serving a four-year term in a city with a mayor-council form of government, such as Centerton. The law states at least 25% of eligible voters in the city must sign a petition to request a recall of the mayor. Centerton has 12,375 registered voters, according to Dana Caler of the Benton County Clerk's Office; a petition in Centerton therefore would require about 3,094 signatures to force a recall election.
The petition must be filed between 70 and 90 days before the next general election after the election in which the officer was elected. The petition must be certified by the county clerk's office, according to state law.
If most of the voters decide to remove the officer in a recall election, a vacancy shall exist in the office; otherwise, the officer is allowed to continue to serve the term for which the officer was elected.
Recall elections are rare in Arkansas, though in November 2016, voters in three cities -- Earle, Hartford and Hughes -- voted to recall their mayors.
Chris Powell, press secretary for the Arkansas secretary of state, said municipal elections are generally paid for by the municipality, and the law does not specify an exception for recall elections.
Benton County Clerk Betsy Harrell said there had not been a recall in Benton County in her 18 years with the County Clerk's Office. Jennifer Price, executive director of the Washington County Election Commission, said she could not remember any recall elections in that county. She has been there since 2007.
Edwards served four years on the City Council before he was first elected mayor in 2010, when he received about 53% of the vote in a three-way race that included incumbent Bobbie Griffith.
Edwards was reelected in 2014 with 86% of the vote in a win over T.J. Teed. He ran unopposed in 2018.
Edwards, 63, said he originally planned to retire and not seek reelection this year, but changed his mind after people urged him to run again. He plans to retire in 2026.