Hoxie Mayor Remains Defiant As Recall Effort Looms

HOXIE, Ark. – An effort to recall the mayor of Hoxie is being organized in Lawrence County, but the mayor remains defiant with plans to stay in office, even if he has to run again.

“If they did get the signatures and if they did recall me, I’d just run again,” said Hoxie Mayor Dennis Coggins. “Cause the people would still vote for me.”

Mayor Coggins says the effort to recall him is one that is being pushed, mostly, by three opponents: Coty Powers, Darrell Pickney, and Madison Junkersfeld. Powers is the committee member primarily responsible for the movement. Pickney is the council member who sued Hoxie over FOIA violations, and Junkersfeld is a vocal critic of the Hoxie government online who  was incorrectly accused of creating a satirical Facebook page mocking the municipality

Powers told NEA Report he became involved after following the FOIA lawsuit that Hoxie lost.

“I was very bothered by the fact Mayor Coggins refused to comply with the FOI law,” Powers said.

Things got worse when, at the following city council meeting, the mayor blamed Pickney for losing the lawsuit that cost the city $11,000. Powers said he was bothered because it was actually the mayor’s fault.

Another reason Powers decided to take a stand against the mayor came from a Facebook page someone created to mock the city. At one point, the mayor believed Junkersfeld to be behind the page and hired an attorney to issue a cease and desist letter to Junkersfeld – who told K8 News she has no connection to the page.

“He was just guessing,” Powers said. “What bothered me about that is, we have the First Amendment here in the United States. One of the most basic freedoms we’ve had since the beginning of our country is the right to free speech. And it just seems to me like Mayor Coggins is completely oblivious to that.”

But Mayor Coggins is no stranger to exercising his right to free speech. He told NEA Report he feels like the entire recall stems from Councilman Pickney wanting to run the police department.

“To be honest with you, I’ve got Darrel against me,” Coggins said. “Darrel had a stroke and went radical. I wouldn’t let him run the police department. He wants to run the police department, and I just wouldn’t let him. I hire and fire. Darrel wants to hire and fire. So I told him if he wanted to, go ahead and run against me, and if he wins, I’ll congratulate him and go on my way. But he said he’s not interested. But he’s interested in pulling me out.”

One of Coggins’ criticisms of the recall effort is that Powers doesn’t live within the Hoxie city limits – something Powers admits. Powers said he lived in Hoxie – and the mayor was even his landlord – but his home burned down and he was forced to move.

“We brainstormed and, even though I’m no longer a citizen there, I told them I would lend my experience with campaigning to the cause,” Powers said.

Another recent controversy involving the mayor came when the mayor built an expansion to the city hall without council approval. Coggins said the council had voted he couldn’t go over $20,000 on a single purchase, but as the contractor, he was able to legally go over the $20,000 threshold on the overall project. Coggins said the auditor told him he didn’t do anything wrong because he was the contractor. The subject of the addition and the mayor’s decision to build it without council approval will be on the next council agenda, Coggins said.

There is still a question on if the recall effort will be successful enough to lead to a recall election. Coggins believes most people want him to remain in office, he said.

“The people is [sic] telling them that they’re not wanting to get rid of me,” Coggins said. “And that’s the truth on it.”

Powers said there has been a mixed reaction but many folks are interested in signing the petition. As of this week, organizers did not have a count yet on the number of signatures gathered.

Arkansas law mandates that at least 25% of the registered voters sign the petition to initiate a recall election. Powers said the most recent check with the county clerk showed 1,161 qualified electors for the city. That means 291 signatures would be needed to meet the requirement.

The turnout for the 2022 Hoxie mayoral election was 541 votes. 72.3% of that (391 votes) were cast for Coggins.

The deadline to have signatures turned in is 91 days before the general election, which is August 6, Powers said. The requirement is steep and one Powers isn’t entirely sure he can meet. However, he said even if the effort fails, “we’ve got enough political momentum to see him not elected as mayor again.”

If you’d like to sign the petition, and you live in the city limits of Hoxie, you may contact 870-378-3937.

“I considered myself a friend to Mr. Coggins,” Powers said. “I think he’s a good man. I just thought when it comes to being the mayor of the city and a good administrator and cognizant of the law, he’s not very capable in that regard. He may be a good man and this is no judgment on him personally. It’s just a judgment on his capabilities as mayor.”

Powers estimates a special election could cost the city around $10,000 but he said he feels like that might be a drop in the bucket compared to two more years under Mayor Coggins.