Petitioners move forward with effort to oust Camilla Mayor Rufus Davis

CAMILLA — City Elections Supervisor Brenda Cross confirmed Tuesday that organizers of a recall effort to oust Camilla Mayor Rufus Davis had reached to the required signatures of 100 registered voters to move the recall forward.

Cross said the next step in the process is getting the signatures of 30 percent of voters on a second petition. Voters who were registered in the November 2015 election that ushered Davis into office are eligible to sign the recall documents.

She added that petitioners will pick up the new petitions Friday at City Hall. Recall organizers said the new petitions would be available for signatures beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at the old Madea’s Restaurant on Georgia Highway 30 North.

Organizers say they think they will need at least 1,000 verified voters’ signatures in 30 days to move the effort before a Superior Court judge.

Kelvin Owens, who helped run the first petition drive, said he had no doubts about getting the 100 signature to move the effort forward.

“From the feedback we’d been getting over the past few weeks, I knew we’d get the 100 (signatures) but I was pleasantly surprised we doubled that number,” Owens said. “The drive was extremely organized, and the people seemed to be filled with an intense resolve.

“These people were serious about taking back their city.”

Former City Councilwoman Vivian Smith is also one of the recall organizers.

“I’ve lived in Camilla all of my life except when I was in college, and I’ve never seen things this bad,” Smith said prior to Last week’s original petition drive. “I was here when (Davis) came into office two years ago. What’s happening is the city is retrogressing because nothing is getting done at the council meetings.

“He’s talking like we are still in the slave days, and I know better. He’s criticizing what’s been done in the past. We’re not progressing as a city, and I don’t see it happening with him as our mayor.”