By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Ballots are still being counted, but three recall challengers hold a firm lead to oust current members of the Benson City Council.
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“I mean, last night, Benson won,” said Brendan Tammetta, a Health over Wealth Benson member.
The recall election centered on what residents call a mishandling of planning and zoning surrounding the controversial Aluminum Dynamics smelting plant.
Mark Boyle, a city council candidate, said the election sends a clear message.
“This is just a giant shout. Can you hear us now? Because it seems they were kind of just ignoring us,” Boyle said.
Residents said they felt lied to about the planning and zonning decisons surrounding plant and wanted accountability.
“Mainly is transparency the council was never transparent about everything had to be behind closed doors,” Tammetta said.
Those transparency concerns pushed candidates like Boyle to run in the recall.
“I think they just turned it over to five or six unelected bureaucrats to make a decision that affects the whole town,” Boyle said.
Even if it means that Boyle is accusing his brother, current council member Patrick Boyle, of the same gross mismanagement.
“They handled that terribly, and then when we called them on it,” Mark Boyle said.
With a strong likelihood of three new council members, residents said those concerns will fade.
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“It makes it a smaller community in a way,” Tammetta said. “You get that feeling of they actually do want to help.”
Health over Wealth Benson members said a recall win could mean the chance to challenge some of the previous permit approvals for ADI.
“The next step is, of course, looking at a lot of the things that were passed, whether it be any policy behind this, zoning, or even permits,” Tammetta said.
Attorney General Kris Mayes is already investigating the city over possible public meeting violations, but residents say a recall win means they feel like not only state officials but now local officials can help in their fight.
“This is a move in the right direction,” Tammetta said. “Making sure that the council actually has the Benson people’s backs now.”
Health over Wealth Benson said its next immediate step is filing an appeal to its lawsuit against ADI and the city.
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