Power line project sparks recall of councilwoman Laura Nauser

A group of residents in south Columbia have formed a political action committee in an effort to recall Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser from her elected position.

Columbians for Responsible Government was formed last week by Fifth Ward residents who are upset with Nauser and the city council’s vote to put the power transmission line project on hold to reconsider other route options.

Taylor Burks, a founder of the committee and resident of the Thornbrook neighborhood, said residents felt this petition was their last option.

“I guess this is the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said. “It’s a big enough issue that enough voters want to consider what we can do to stop the council’s poor actions.”

Burks said close to 1,200 residents signed a petition in support of Route A for the transmission line project and presented the signatures to city council in January. Nauser, along with three other council members, voted to halt the project on Jan. 19 to discuss other route options.

“This was a decision that council had already made and Laura chose in the middle of her term to bring up what 70 percent of Columbians really don’t support,” Burks said.

Nauser said she has always voted in opposition to Route A.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong,” she said. “I stood by my original position and vote in 2013. I represent a large constituency of people. I had constituents that wanted to be heard again and all I did was facilitate them.”

Millions of dollars have already been invested in the transmission line project to fund the Route A option, which would place the power lines right along Nifong Blvd.

Burks said Nauser’s vote to reconsider other route options shows her lack of fiscal responsibility.

“I want to solve problems with the least amount of costs that impacts the least amount of people and the fewest number of properties,” she said. “So I disagree that’s fiscally irresponsible.”

The group is open to having conversations with Nauser to come to a solution over the transmission line route rather than going forward with the recall petition.

“Laura and I live in the same neighborhood and we probably agree on a lot of issues,” Burks said. “But this is a huge issue and huge failure of leadership and management.”

Sheela Amin, the Columbia City Clerk, said the committee needs 408 registered voters’ signatures in order to bring the petition forward to city council.

She said the ordinance would have to be introduced to council by May 2 and the earliest the special election could be held would be in August.