South Saint Paul, Minnesota — A recall campaign for South St. Paul city council member Pam Bakken is gaining traction after a 3-year-old boy allegedly ingested methamphetamine from the floor of her home daycare in December.
In March, the Minnesota Department of Human Services suspended Bakken’s daycare license, stating in a letter that she failed to provide required supervision “when a child in your program ingested methamphetamine.”
Bakken has not been charged with any crimes, and the Dakota County Attorney’s Office is reviewing Lakeville Police’s investigation.
A recently formed committee of about 25 community members is gathering signatures for a recall petition against Bakken, citing concerns about public trust, child safety, and elected officials’ accountability. They gathered outside the Kaposia Library on Wednesday evening. The Dakota County Library system is not involved in the recall effort.
“We prioritize the safety of our children above all else,” said Molly Smith, a South St. Paul resident spearheading the recall campaign. “We must hold our elected officials accountable. It is acceptable to make mistakes, but it is also acceptable to say, ‘Hey, I need to resign.'”
Bakken has not responded to KARE 11’s numerous requests for comment, but she has appealed the suspension of her daycare license, according to public records. South St. Paul Mayor James Francis and other council members have also not responded to KARE 11’s inquiries.
Julia Hagen, who signed the petition on Wednesday, is the owner of a daycare in South St. Paul for the past 12 years. She emphasized that any provider’s first priority should be to protect the children in their care, saying, “That’s where my frustrations lie, because as a member of the city council, she is making decisions for families and children.”
Smith agreed, adding, “If we don’t use our voices to protect our children, what are we using them for, really?”
To proceed with a recall and a special election for Bakken’s seat, the group must collect at least 2,763 valid signatures — equivalent to 25% of the previous municipal election participants — from registered South St. Paul voters by May 12.