Effort to recall Fremont city councilman fails

There will be no special election to recall Fremont City Councilman Mark Legband. 
 
Rachel Tuff filed a petition on April 16 to start a recall effort. From mid-May to Thursday, she needed to collect 574 signatures to trigger a special election. 
 
Legband said Dodge County Election Commissioner Fred Mytty informed him late Thursday afternoon that Tuff told him that she didn’t have enough signatures and wasn’t coming to the courthouse. 
 
The Ward 1 councilman said news that the recall had failed was a relief. 
 
“Now I can really start focusing back on what’s best for Fremont and do what I’ve been doing for six-and-a-half, almost seven years on council,” he said.
 
Tuff alleged that Legband “failed to adequately fulfill the duties set forth in his oath of office and the provisions of the Fremont Municipal Code that require a council member to protect the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community.” 
 
In the petition, Tuff also said Legband was “disrespectful” toward other council members. 
 
Legband, who had been on council since 2014, said he was overwhelmed by community support. 
 
“I’d really like to say again to everyone that the support I got from the whole community was unbelievable,” he said. “Between phone calls, visiting with me on the street, text messages … I couldn’t believe the support I got. It wasn’t just from my district but from everyone in the town of Fremont. I would like to thank them because it really meant a lot.” 
 
That community support has made Legband re-evaluate his political future. 
 
“I was thinking that I was just going to do my two terms and that eight years would be enough,” he said. “But after all of the support that I’ve received during this recall, I’m starting to rethink it. I’m going to do some praying and see what the Good Lord has in store for me, but all this support has made me think about a third term.” 
 
Legband said he is glad the government didn’t have to use funds on a special election. 
 
“Now that this recall is over, I’m really glad it didn’t cost the community $20,000 to $25,000 to have a special election,” he said. “Now we can use that money in a better way as opposed to having a special election. We can use it in a way to help the city grow. That is a good thing for the city.”