Calls for Levelland Mayor Barbra Pinner’s Resignation Fall Short
A petition calling for the resignation of Levelland Mayor Barbra Pinner failed to garner enough signatures.
The petition was put together in response to Mayor Pinner refusing to resign after she re-posted a message on Facebook in June that contained the N-word and racially-charged language.
After community backlash and even a letter of condemnation from the City of Levelland itself, Pinner asked for forgiveness with an official statement that read in part:
". . . It was never my intention to minimize the pain and suffering that African Americans have endured throughout history and are currently enduring. I love all people regardless of race or color. Please know I am truly sorry for the pain that I have caused many of you. The harsh words in that post did not come from my mouth or my heart, and it was my mistake to share them. Because I am a Christian woman, I stand before this community and ask for forgiveness."
Even after the apology, however, Mayor Pinner refused to resign. A petition, organized in-part by a man named Savon Childers and other Levelland residents, was hoping to force Mayor Pinner out of her position through a mayoral recall election.
Levelland City Secretary Andrea Corley told KAMC News that at least 10 percent of registered voters in Levelland had to sign the petition in order for a mayoral recall election to take place; that’s 624 signatures.
The City of Levelland reported on Tuesday, August 4th, that of the 624 signatures needed, only 468 were collected, and those have yet to be verified. That means no mayoral recall election.
If the petition had received enough signatures, Mayor Pinner would reportedly have five days to resign, according to Corley. If she refused, the Levelland City Council would have set an election recall date.