YUKON – Joe Phillips was caring for his toddler grandson on a weekday afternoon, still processing the results of a recall election that saw him win in a landslide against the mayor of his town.
The 65-year-old retired college baseball coach has been living for only a few years in Yukon, a suburban city of about 27,000 residents just west of Oklahoma City, but has fallen in love with the community. Phillips said he was approached by organizers of a recall petition to run against incumbent Yukon Mayor and Ward 3 Councilman Brian Pillmore.
The recall supporters had already criticized Pillmore for how he and a City Council majority had abruptly fired a former city manager in 2024, months before a lengthy audit uncovered long-term financial mismanagement and misconduct issues with the city. A failed amphitheater proposal also did not endear Pillmore to citizens…