By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Voters in Overland will be asked this April whether they want to recall their mayor.
Mayor Ann Purzner was elected last April and became a controversial figure almost immediately.
Mark Giroux heads up the group working to recall her. He says Purzner's attempt to fire the city's police chief sparked the effort to oust her.
Giroux says he's optimistic voters will recall Purzner since the St. Louis County Board of elections certified about 3,600 signatures on the petiton.
"That is more signatures than voters who voted in the last mayoral election for all three candidates, so I'd have to say there is a groundswell of dissatisfaction with the mayor and her supporters," Giroux said.
Missouri state statute requires city councils to put referendum questions to voters when enough signatures are certified.
The Overland City Council failed to pass an ordinance putting the recall question on the ballot last month but did pass a motion to do so.
Mayor Purzner reportedly is planning a legal challenge.