Residents urge removal of Gloucester mayor

(Dominic Chavez/Globe Staff)

Kirk fielding questions at the June news conference.

By Kathy McCabe and Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

A dozen Gloucester residents representing several community groups have started a campaign to recall Mayor Carolyn Kirk, saying her handling of the high school pregnancy pact brouhaha was the final straw in her failure to “lead the city of Gloucester fairly and effectively.”

The residents are circulating a petition that said the mayor had also failed to ensure open government and refused to investigate and prosecute waste and fraud, particularly in the police and public works departments.

“Since taking office, I have ruffled feathers because it is not business as usual," Kirk said in a statement. "I have had to make extraordinarily difficult decisions, but always, my motivation is what is best for the city as a whole.”

Annette Dion, a 45-year-old private music teacher in the community, said the resignation last week of Gloucester High School Principal Joseph Sullivan was the spark that ignited her group’s pent-up frustrations with Kirk.

“We don’t agree with Carolyn Kirk’s style of leading the city,” Dion said. “In many instances, she’s not met with people who have asked. She’s not really been very good with the public.”

According to the city charter, the group needs to collect just over 4,000 signatures of registered voters – 20 percent of the 20,672 voters in Gloucester – to hold a recall election. An election would have to be held 30 to 45 days after the city clerk certifies the 4,000 signatures and presents the petition to the Gloucester City Council.

In June, Time magazine quoted Sullivan as saying that an increase in teen pregnancies at his school was the result of a group of girls who made a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together. The story drew worldwide media attention.

A few days after the story was published, Kirk held a press conference. She denied that there had been a pact and called Sullivan's memory "foggy." But Sullivan stood by his interview, asserting in his resignation letter that he gave, "a direct, truthful, and honest answer."

His letter said that it was clear that he didn't have the support of the mayor or the superintendent and without that, his job would be next to impossible.

• Comment
• Permalink
• Email