Westlake Village : Recall Group Late With Finance Report

A group that tried unsuccessfully to recall two Westlake Village City Council members has missed its deadline for filing campaign finance reports.

City Clerk Laura Johnson said Thursday that she sent the group a letter about missing the Jan. 31 deadline. “I would call it a reminder,” she said.

Frank Abundis, leader of the recall group, said Thursday his group expected to submit the forms today. He said the forms are complicated and have taken more time to complete than the group anticipated.

Gary Huckaby, a spokesman for the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission, said that if the group shows “willful refusal” to provide the information, it could be fined up to $2,000 for each undisclosed donation or expenditure, and an additional $100 penalty.

Abundis estimated that the committee raised about $5,000 from 18 contributors.

Abundis’ group, Westlake Village Residents Opposing Non-Responsive Government, launched the recall against City Council members Kris Carraway and Doug Yarrow after the council approved a controversial PriceCostco store. The recall eventually fizzled.

The group had a previous misstep in October, when Johnson refused to accept its petition against Carraway, saying that part of the councilwoman’s rebuttal statement was missing from the form. The group later turned in another form that included the entire rebuttal.