The Leelanau County Election Commission voted to approve recall petition language for Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) Board President Sue Kelly Wednesday.

Leelanau County Probate Judge Marian Kromkowski, County Clerk Michelle Crocker, and County Treasurer John Gallagher approved the recall language, which reads:

"We, the undersigned, registered and qualified voters…petition for the calling of an election to recall M. Sue Kelly from the office of Board Trustee of Traverse City Area Public Schools for the following reason(s): M. Sue Kelly voted for Superintendent Ann Cardon to start August 1, 2019, but then within 78 days of service, M. Sue Kelly voted to terminate Ann Cardon’s employment with Traverse City Area Public Schools on October 17, 2019 in a mutual separation agreement, costing the district and taxpayers $180,000 in severance pay."

TCAPS Transparency, a community group working to recall Kelly, TCAPS Board Treasurer Matt Anderson, and Board Secretary Pam Forton, was informed earlier this month that they had incorrectly filed Kelly's petition language in Grand Traverse County. Because Kelly resides in Leelanau County, her petition language needs to be filed in that jurisdiction, rather than in Grand Traverse County. A November 26 decision made by the Grand Traverse County Election Commission to approve recall language for all three trustees was therefore invalid for Kelly. TCAPS Transparency refiled the paperwork in Leelanau County, with that jurisdiction approving the language at a Wednesday hearing.

Kelly now has 10 days to appeal the ruling. She previously told The Ticker she intends to do so, saying the language is misleading and not factual because Cardon resigned. Since Cardn's employment was not terminated, the language should be rejected, she said. Anderson and Forton have already filed appeals in Thirteenth Circuit Court challenging the Grand Traverse County Election Commission's approval of identical language. A hearing on their appeals has been set for January 13 at 2:30pm.