By Sandra Mangelson
Times-News Correspondent
Connie Dubinsky's bid to run for mayor of Levan was
denied by the Town Clerk Rachelle Bryan because she deemed
the form was submitted after the deadline.
Dubinsky served as Levan's mayor four years ago and
decided to run for another term the day before the August 15
deadline to file. Because Levan's clerk does not work at the
town office, Dubinsky called Bryan at home on Tuesday,
August 14 between 7 and 8 p.m. to sign the required form.
According to Dubinsky, she was told Bryan was "just leaving"
but the forms would be at the town office the following
morning. Dubinsky had to be to work the next morning, so she
tried the Bryan residence again between 10 and 10:30 p.m.
She could get no answer at the door.
The Levan Town Hall opens for business at 9 a.m. and
Dubinsky was there at that time to get the form. But, the
Town Hall did not open that day because the secretary was
taking her son to the MTC. Dubinsky waited until she was
late for work and had to leave.
Amy Taylor, daughter-in-law of Dubinsky, finally made
contact with the town clerk at her home and was given the
form. Amy asked if the form had to be back by 5 p.m., as she
knew that was the deadline in Nephi. Bryan said she was
going boating at Yuba and would be gone all day. Seeming
very nonchalant, Bryan told Taylor to just put the signed
form in her door, or put it in the slot at the Town Hall
before Town Council Meeting that night at 7 p.m.
Dubinsky then mistakenly dropped her son's report card
in the slot at the Town Hall. When she found her mistake she
went immediately and put the correct form in the slot.
When Dubinsky checked with Bryan after the Town
Council meeting on Tuesday evening, she was told her form
was submitted after the deadline.
When contacted, Mayor Andrew Robinson said he
instructed Bryan to call "the State" to see if Dubinsky's
form could be accepted. He thought it would look bad for him
if it was not accepted and wanted to accept it if all
possible. Bryan was told by "the State" not to accept the
form as it was submitted after the 5 p.m. deadline.
Robinson said the filing period was thirty days and
Dubinsky knew of the deadline. Robinson said Dubinsky's form
was not submitted until after Town Council meeting had
started at 7 p.m. When asked when he had signed his form,
Robinson said it was signed Monday, August 13 sometime
around 6 or 6:30 p.m. because he was going to be out of town
on business on Tuesday and did not know if he would be home
in time to get it done by the 5 p.m. deadline on
Wednesday.
The 30-day period to file to run for election in Levan
and the deadline time were never publicly published.
Dubinsky thinks proper procedures were not followed
and wants a clarification of the incident. She said, "Who
will be next? Who will this affect in the future? "Dubinsky
is seeking legal counsel.
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