Tanya Campos plans to submit a third recall election petition seeking the ouster of Northport Board of Education member Alan Woods tomorrow morning.

On Feb. 20, the county Election Commission held a clarity hearing on Campos’ second recall petition and in a divided vote rejected the language as being unclear. Of the three commission members, Probate Court Judge Joseph Deegan voted against a motion to reject the measure, while county Clerk Michelle Crocker and county Treasurer Vicki Kilway voted for the motion. According to Crocker, Deegan said he felt the petition language was sufficiently clear to allow Woods to defend himself.

Campos’s second petition reads: “Mr. Woods has a conflict of interest between his role as a member of the Northport School Board and his personal complaint against the Northport School District which, if successful, would cause great financial hardship to the school district. As a member of the school board, Mr. Woods acts in a fiduciary capacity to the Northport School District and Mr. Woods cannot fulfill his fiduciary capacity as a board member because of his complaint.”

Woods is involved in an administrative law hearing he sought to rectify what he calls deficiencies in the school’s development of an individual education plan that was established for his son, who is a special needs student.

The commission rejected Campos’ first attempt in January in an unanimous vote. Campos said Monday she has new language ready to go, but would not be able to submit it to Crocker until Friday, Feb. 29. Campos attends classes at Michigan State University during the week.

“Basically, this new language is the same as the second but more in lay terms. I’m still pretty confident we will get this petition approved,” she said.
Woods said Tuesday he was pleased with the outcome.

If Campos’ third attempt at a recall petition is approved, she will have to get the signatures of at least 339 registered voters from within the Northport Public School district to put the request before voters. The deadline for submitting petitions for a local ballot initiative, including recalls, to be part of the Aug. 5 primary election is May 13. The deadline for the Nov. 4 general election is Aug. 12.