Waukesha - Seventh District Ald. Peggy Bull, who has nine months left on her three-year term, is the target of a recall.
Frank Greuel and Wayne Dahnke, listed as officers of a recall committee called Concerned Citizens of District 7, registered the start of the effort on Thursday. Organizers have 60 days to get 384 signatures to force a recall election, according to city Clerk-Treasurer Tom O'Neill.
The stated reason for the recall is that "Alderwoman Bull is not adequately or appropriately representing the interest or view of her constituents."
Neither Greuel nor Dahnke could be reached for comment Friday.
However, Bull said she had been working with Greuel over several months, particularly on the issue of a new transitional living center for sex offenders that is on the same street - Darlene Drive - as Greuel's property.
"They're afraid. They're angry. (They say) it can't be. And the wheels at city hall are moving slowly," Bull said.
She said she has been working hard on the issue, contacting police, city and state officials when the new residence was started in a duplex housing six sex offenders at a time. She met with some again Thursday, she said.
"We just can't have the Department of Corrections plunk six people down in the neighborhood," she said. Because the sex offenders are in transition from prison, it's hard for residents to keep track of them, she said. However, when asked if they'd presented any problems for the neighborhood, she said, "Not really."
Bull said she arranged a meeting of the most vocal residents - Greuel among them - and officials to gather information when the issue arose in February.
Greuel volunteered to lead a neighborhood watch group, she said, but he told her Thursday that he wasn't interested in doing it.
"Now that I know Neighborhood Watch needs doing, I will do it," she said.
She said she had also been told she'd get a directory of e-mail addresses from residents so she can keep them informed, but she has not yet gotten the list.
Bull has also asked for a revision to the city's limits on sex offender residences that would limit the density, but that has been stuck in committee. The city attorney has been preoccupied with the water supply and Great Lakes water application, she said.
"I'm very surprised and dismayed" over the recall effort, she said. "I don't feel it's a constructive use of my energy to run for office again when I would rather be spending it on these issues."
She also said the group could save taxpayers money by dropping the recall. The city clerk said Friday he had no estimate of what a special recall election would cost.