By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
Feb. 15, 2011

Third District City Councilwoman Sharon Sanders Brooks announced Feb. 7 that she will introduce documents to the city clerk and city attorney’s office, asking that her opponent Michael Fletcher be removed from the ballot.

Brooks alleges Fletcher does not meet the residency requirements to hold office in Kansas City.

In a 12-point complaint introduced on Feb. 7, Brooks, along with her opponent Jermaine Reed and local attorney Clinton Adams, alleged that Fletcher and his family don’t live in Kansas City, but reside in Long Beach, Calif.

On Feb. 8, in a response to the filing, City Attorney Galen Beaufort told City Clerk Vicki Thompson that she did not have the authority to remove Fletcher from the ballot, citing a “lack of authority in the state law that governs such actions.”

Thompson said the matter should be referred to the District Court to seek a determination as to whether Fletcher is eligible to run for office.

The next day, Reed released a statement indicating he would no longer be associated with the issue of Fletcher’s residency.

“I have decided not to participate in any further court action concerning this matter,” Reed said in a written statement to Northeast News. “We need to focus on reaching residents and issues in the 3rd District.”

Since then, Brooks has filed a lawsuit against Fletcher, requesting he be removed from the ballot for failing to meet the city’s residency requirements to hold office.

Fletcher says he lives in Kansas City and filed his candidacy under 2360 E. 12 St., Kansas City, Mo.

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. in the Jackson County Judicial Circuit Court.

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