Ardmore, Oklahoma – At a closed meeting Thursday night, city officials announced that the recall petitions targeting commissioners who support renewing the city’s contract with surveillance provider Flock have failed to meet legal requirements. The city’s certification of insufficiency cited multiple procedural deficiencies that, under the charter, are fatal to any recall effort.

Procedural errors identified

The city’s review found four specific problems with the petitions:

• Missing statutory warning on the outer page of each pamphlet.
• Missing “gist”—a brief summary of the petition’s purpose—at the top of each signature sheet.
• Missing statement under the gist informing signers that the petition and signatures are subject to the Open Records Act.
• Insufficient number of valid signatures, despite the petitions exceeding the required 1,070 signatures.

Each of these omissions is considered independently fatal under the city charter, meaning the recall cannot proceed regardless of the total signature count.

Impact on recall timeline

Because the certification was issued on Thursday, the charter’s six‑month prohibition on initiating recall proceedings applies, further preventing any action against the commissioners until at least six months have passed.

Commissioners’ positions

Commissioner Buddy Simon, the sole commissioner who opposed the Flock contract renewal, and attorney Mike Tipps, who represents the recall organizers, declined to attend the closed session. Simon has consistently argued that the city should reconsider the surveillance contract, citing concerns about privacy and cost. The other commissioners remain in favor of renewing the agreement, emphasizing the system’s role in public safety.

City’s response

City officials stressed that the findings were purely procedural and did not reflect a judgment on the merits of the Flock contract itself. “Our responsibility is to ensure that any recall effort complies fully with the charter and state law,” said an unnamed city administrator. “When those requirements are not met, the recall cannot move forward.”

What’s next for the Flock contract?

The city’s next steps regarding the Flock camera contract have not been announced. Commissioners who support renewal are expected to bring the matter before the council at a future meeting, where they will likely discuss contract terms, budgeting, and any community concerns.

Community reaction

Local residents expressed mixed feelings. Some praised the city’s diligence in upholding legal standards, while others worried that the procedural issues might mask broader dissatisfaction with the surveillance program. Advocacy groups urging greater transparency in municipal contracts have called for a public forum to discuss the Flock system’s effectiveness and privacy implications.

For now, the recall effort remains on hold, and the city will continue to operate under the existing surveillance arrangement until the council decides otherwise.

Original reporting: KXII News 12 (Gray) — read the source article.