GREAT BEND -A recall petition has been filed with the Barton County Clerks Office that seeks to recall all seven members of the USD 428 School Board, according to County Clerk Donna Zimmerman.

The petition has been turned over to the County Attorney’s Office who will have 5 days to determine the sufficiency of grounds.

The petition was submitted by local attorney Brock McPherson with Michelle O’Neil, Mike Gowans and Diana Dawson listed as the recall committee, a group that is required by state statute.

O’Neil is a parent of a student allegedly assaulted on a Great Bend school activity bus.

According to McPherson, the recall petition was submitted due to the inaction of the school board after an incident was reported aboard a Great Bend school bus on February 5th on the way back from a swimming meet in Manhattan.

If the County Attorney’s Office verifies the grounds for recall in the proposed petition, the recall petition has 90 days in which it can be circulated.

A recall election is held no sooner than 60 days and no later than 90 days after the applicable election officer, Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman, certifies signatures.

It is unclear how many signatures would be needed if the recall petition were verified.

For recall efforts targeting a local official, a minimum of 40 percent of the last general election for the current term of office of the local officer being targeted.

However, that formula changes if the election resulted in more than one person being elected to the office like the school board.