Effort underway to recall Lemon Grove mayor

LEMON GROVE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A recall effort is underway to remove Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow.

The biggest issue for supporters of the recall is Snow's support of the controversial Troy Street sleeping cabins project, approved last summer by the county board of supervisors.

"If she’s doing the things that she says the community wants, then the recall wouldn’t have the support that it has," said Victor Vega.

Supporters of a recall effort gathered on a corner collecting signatures Wednesday night, not too far from the site that started it all.

"The location is in the wrong spot. We have several open buildings on the industrial side of Lemon Grove that could be better suited, where they have better transportation to services somewhere else," said Vega.

Near Sweetwater Road and Troy Street, the county plans to build up to 70 sleeping cabins that can serve roughly 140 people looking to transition out of homelessness. The location has been a big point of contention due to its proximity to homes, businesses and a school serving three-to-five-year-olds.

Mayor Snow did not initiate the project passed by the county board of supervisors, but she has defended it.

"It’s a county project and we are making sure that Lemon Grove has significant input. It’s a needed program," said Snow.

Residents have called on Snow to reject the project, which has become the basis of the recall.

"Seems to be falling on deaf ears and this is not the kind of leadership we need to be led by," said Daniel Murphy.

Snow maintains she is making sure Lemon Grove has meaningful input.

"We’re working closely with the county on the selection of the service provider, working on an MOU with the county, we are working to make sure that we have continued input throughout the course of the project so we can bring concerns," Snow said. 

This is the fourth attempt at recalling snow since April, due to different clerical issues.

"She hasn’t even taken our voices into account because we’ve told her plenty of times that we do not want this shelter," said Vega.

Snow is now legally challenging the latest filing saying proponents misrepresented their petition when collecting signatures.

"I have filed a lawsuit to go ahead and force them to go back to the drawing board, do it right this time and not commit election fraud," said Snow.

Proponents have 120 days to collect 3,400 signatures. However, Snow has also filed an injunction that would force the supporters of the recall to stop collecting signatures until the case is heard.

There is a hearing on that injunction happening next Thursday.