Petitioners working to remove the North Slope Borough mayor from office failed to gather enough signatures to hold a recall vote, according to the borough clerk.
A group of residents have been working to recall Mayor Josiah Aullaqsruaq Patkotak since winter. They said Patkotak acted unethically when he received compensation for his family to travel with him — sometimes flying first class and staying in luxury accommodations — before the borough assembly voted to allow the practice.
The clerk, Sheila Burke, issued a recall petition for Patkotak in March and said authors had until the end of May to gather 371 signatures. Burke said in an email last week that the petitioners had collected 153 verified signatures, fewer than a half of the required number…