ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A group of Arkansas City residents is circulating petitions aimed at recalling two Cowley County trustees.

The residents claim Board of Trustees chairman Ron Godsey and vice chairman Dennis Schurtz violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act during an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to eliminate the school’s soccer program.

One of the recall leaders, Matt Nies, says Godsey and Schurtz are named because of their leadership positions on the board.

The Arkansas City Traveler reports the recall petitions claim the trustees violated the open meetings law in March when they voted behind closed doors to eliminate the soccer programs.

After a strong backlash, the board in April to reinstated the soccer program. That controversy and other unpopular decisions led to the resignation of college president Clark Williams.