Deputy county attorney William McLean is extending the deadline for making a determination on the Willow Springs referendum petitions by one day. 

      McLean now has a document, initialed by Hoyos, stating that the deadline for submitting the petitions was July 2, the day Pinal Citizens for Sustainable Communities delivered them. 

     Additionally, McLean has been furnished with a copy of a memo saying the office of the Pinal County Attorney certified the content of the material that state law requires to be attached to the petitions on May 31.

       Signature gathering began on May 31 after residents had received the required materials from Pinal County Elections Department. 

       Thirty days after May 31 is July 1.  Because July 1 fell on a Sunday, the deadline for submission of the petitions was set to Monday July 2.

       Originally Gilbert Hoyos, Pinal Elections Director, was to decide tomorrow whether to accept or reject the petitions based on a claim by Anam Inc. that the petitions were submitted two weeks late.

       Attorneys for Anam Inc., are claiming that the deadline was June 15 and because the petitions were delivered on the date set by Hoyos (July 2, 2001) all the petitions are void.