Petition calls for recall of Garland councilwoman

City officials in Garland say there are enough valid signatures on a petition to force a recall election of a city councilwoman.

It all started in November after Anita Goebel and five others on the council voted to tear down an old armory building to make way for a skate park.

Mayor Douglas Athas announced his resignation over the decision, saying the vote was pushed through and the council no longer represents the people.

Deborah Morris led the petition drive in district 2 to oust Goebel.

"The problem from our perspective is the council is that the decided that the council knows best and ignored the voice of citizens,” Morris said.

"Under our charter, the anticipation is the council member will resign or the city council will call a special election to replace her,” the mayor said.

Goebel has reached her term limit. It runs out in May. That month is also the earliest a recall election can be scheduled.

Athas is promising to resign before the May election.

“I don’t think these documents are legal documents,” Goebel said about the petition. “I don’t know why this is happening. I really don’t.”

“There’s just a lot of back issues,” Athas said. “And I can’t get into them right now.”

When asked if she is resigned, Goebel said she can’t answer that right now. The councilwoman is not obligated to make a decision right now if she will be resigning.