By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – The new backer of an Auburn City Council recall said he has his eye on June.

“I want to see the current council wrap up that budget, and I understand they should do that by June,” said Reggie Emery Sr.

He’s not even sure it’ll be necessary to unseat the four city councilors and Mayor Normand Guay.

“But if we present them with enough signatures, they’ll have to admit that something’s up,” he said. “It may make them stop and think.”

Emery may be the lone voice of the recall movement these days, but he’s not backing down. He continues to gather signatures slowly, which are aimed at unseating most of Auburn’s City Council.

He hasn’t talked with Charles Mollica, the man who started the recall ball rolling, for several months. Still, there’s a dedicated core of people passing petitions who want to see the council seats turned over.

“People still call me up and ask for them,” Emery said. “I’ll go out and meet them if I can.”

The recall effort began in November, in the wake of the city’s property revaluation. Mollica and four others formed a committee and took out recall petitions from the city. He aims to unseat Guay, Ward 1’s Bethel Shields, Ward 2’s Robert Hayes, Ward 3’s Eric Samson and Councilor-at-large Kelly Matzen.

Mollica dropped from sight in December, with little contact with petition backers. Emerson said Mollica delivered another 90 petitions to his shop about a month ago, but the two never talked or met face-to-face.

Contacted Tuesday via cell phone, Mollica declined to comment.

Emery said he’s collected about 250 signatures aimed at Guay and Matzen and another 120 for Samson. He’s also trying to enlist the United Citizens of Auburn in the effort. That group issued a statement in December distancing itself from the recall.

“I think if they could turn that around, we could really do something,” Emery said.

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