A petition signature drive is next

Members of TR Cares, which formed in April following the dismissal of three well-liked Three Rivers Community Schools administrators, plan a marathon signature drive this week.
Sherrie Nowicki, who spearheaded the formation of TR Cares, said the group will meet Monday evening with several business owners offering their support behind an effort to recall board of education members Waneta Truckey, Carl Barth and president Mike Bosma.
She said offers of a tent, office supplies, and food and drink have been made, as well as a location from which the three recall petitions can be signed. The group starting Thursday morning will stage a 36-hour drive to collect at least 1,165 valid signatures.
The signature drive will be on the west side of M-60 at 6th Avenue, on land adjacent to Armstrong Field that was donated to TR Cares for the drive.
Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Gary Giguere Jr. on Friday affirmed a June 26 decision by the St. Joseph County Election Board regarding language specific to the recall drive.
Members of TR Cares are opposed to the board’s April dismissal of athletic director Pete Anderson, dean of educational services Kevin Hamilton and middle school principal Bradley Coon.
Nowicki, a 1985 Three Rivers graduate, said in order to be considered valid, the signature has to be from a registered voter who lives in the Three Rivers Community Schools district.
The deadline for the signatures to be at the county clerk’s office is July 31 in order for the recall question to appear before the district’s voters in the November election.