ENID, OK - A group of concerned local citizens calling themselves Enid Freedom Fighters has announced that they have collected enough signatures for the recall of an elected city commissioner.
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Enid Freedom Fighters describes their group as seeking to encourage city leaders through involvement, educating themselves on the issues of the city, and equipping themselves to positively contribute to local politics.
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A statement released by the group read, "Throughout Mr. Ben Ezzell’s tenure on the city commission, Commissioner Ezzell has repeatedly conducted himself in a manner unbecoming of an Enid City Commissioner by sowing seeds of discord in our community and disrespecting the citizens and agencies he was elected to represent. We are pleased to announce that our first community action to collect signatures for the recall of Ward 3 Commissioner Ezzell was an overwhelming success!"
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According to the Enid City Charter, a petition was required to be signed by 69 registered voters from Ward 3, which is 30% of the 2013 Ward 3 election. The group announced that their efforts yielded more than 200 signatures. In their press release, the group said, "The response from Ward 3 voters speaks for themselves—in only ten hours, more Ward 3 citizens signed a petition to remove Commissioner Ezzell than voted for him in his election!"
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When asked why he was signing the petition, Ty Atkinson said, “I signed the petition for the recall because I believe that elected officials are to be the voice of those they represent. To me it’s clear that Mr. Ezzell is disconnected from those he represents and he uses his position on the city council to push a personal agenda. I believe he’s passionate for this city and its residents, but ultimately he speaks only for himself. The email which was leaked to the public further illustrated this to me.”
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The press release continued by saying, "This morning we submitted our petition to the City Clerk, who has ten days to certify our signatures. After the petition is certified, the Mayor and City Council must order an election for Ward 3 City Commissioner."
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In addition to easily surpassing the signature requirement, additional highlights from the groups canvassing efforts were noted:
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— More than 10 new Ward 3 residents registered to vote
— Membership in Enid Freedom Fighters doubled since this initiative was announced
— Many neighbors from outside of Ward 3 expressed their support for the groups action
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The public is invited to the Stride Bank Center Ballroom at 301 South Independence Avenue, Tuesday, August 4 for the next city council meeting. The special meeting of the Mayor and City Commissioners is in regards to the adoption of the State of Oklahoma's color-coded COVID-19 alert system.
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If approved, the City of Enid would adopt the State of Oklahoma's color-coded COVID-19 alert system and provide specific measures tailored to the risk level for individuals, businesses, and vulnerable persons. As of July 31, 2020, Garfield County was at Orange Moderate Risk on the Oklahoma Color-Coded Alert System.
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The Emergency Declaration can be seen HERE.
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Enid Freedom Fighters has a Facebook Group with 536 members. They are asking residents to show support for freedom by wearing red.
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Commissioner Ezzell Recall Effort Surpasses Signature Requirement
This whole mask issue being politicized is pathetic. We’re in the middle of a pandemic and people are worried about constitutional rights. Get real people. Wear your masks and save a life. The government is not going to take away your rights.
Constitutional rights are always important. There are as many, if not more, doctors and studies that say masks are not effective and can even make you sicker by overloading your nasal passages with any germs you would normally expel being rebreathed over and over, than there are that say, or can prove, that masks are effective.
Actually the important issue here is the threats of withholding EPD funding, the statements regarding Chief and Captain, the unprofessionalism, the statement of calling business owners and voters basically stupid… he’s in a position voted in by the people and can be replaced by the people. Much bigger picture than the damn mask!
I cannot believe a group of people such as this group is so selfish, self centered that they only think about themselves. Oh, thats right there was a group known as PAGE, that opposed the City assisting Phillips University. The City ended up victorious in the early 90s when they ended up exchanging of debt relief for a parcel of land on the Eastside of Enid. Enid Higher Education Foundation ended up building a state of the art campus that later became NOC of Enid.
The mask issue is for not only your safety and health but the people and family around you. You selfish people. Mr. Ezzell has nothing but the BEST interest for Enid at heart. His fathet, the late City Commission of Ward 4, David Ezzell was just as paasionate about our city. He taught his children the same principals in life. Keep the folks of you city in the forefront of anything else. I hope and pray that 69 folks that signed this petition reconsider what you have done. Without the entire Ezzell family caring so strongly for Enid your city would not be the great place to live. Just think of Enid without a place like Leonardos Village. Think about all the people that bring their children to town to visit that great facility.
Wearing a mask is such a minor thing to get upset about. Just go OKC or Tulsa and you are required to wear a mask almost anywhere you go.
Step down off your soap box and act like good stewards of your community. Commission Ezzell loves Enid and its people more than some of you people. Do the right thing and drop this vendetta against Commissioner Ezzell.
Former City Commissioner Ward 1
Larry Wilmeth
Way 2 go freedom fighters
Mr Ezzell should’ve listened to his voters and the majority of Enid citizens.
Wish him and his socialist views well elsewhere….
The reason Enid and Garfield County is now in the Orange is because everyone is so concerned about not wearing a mask and now it’s escalated from yellow to orange. It’s a matter of everyone’s safety not political or so called civil rights. People can be unknown carriers of this disease and give to friends or vulnerable family members. How would you feel about it if you accidentally gave it to someone and they died? I will wear my mask not just because I have health issues but also to protect others.
If masks work, wear one. Numbers here in Enid do not justify over reaching government. Most businesses ask you to wear one. I do. My employer requires me to wear one. I do. The government has no business forcing me to wear one.
Thank you ward three!
It’s sad these days that any group calling themselves after freedom or liberty are inevitably privileged folks mad because they can’t be selfish and greedy any more and get away with it.