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A rift over funding for a proposed $200 million mall project on a former landfill site in Oregon City could end in the recall of one of Oregon City’s commissioners.

A petition for the recall of Commissioner James Nicita was filed by Oregon City resident Rex Parks Jr. In the petition, Parks claims Nicita has been unwilling to work with developers on the proposed Rivers mall project.

鈥�(Nicita’s) know-it-all attitude and pie-in-the-sky ideas have seriously hurt Oregon City,鈥� Parks wrote in his official statement for recall, which was approved by the city on Monday. 鈥淭he longer he remains in office, the longer his signal will be sent that Oregon City is a toxic environment for business or serious investment.鈥�

Meanwhile, Center Cal Properties CEO Fred Bruning believes the political environment in Oregon City is too volatile to move forward with the Rivers project.

鈥淨uite honestly 鈥� the political situation isn’t right to move forward,鈥� Bruning said. 鈥淚 would call it toxic.鈥�

The Rivers was proposed as a 650,000-square-foot outdoor mall anchored by outdoor and sporting retailer Cabela’s. Bruning for years has engaged in talks with the city about the project. Those discussions were relatively quiet until last year, when Bruning and the city started working out financing. Bruning has sought $17.6 million in urban renewal money for the project.

Then in February, as a disposition and development agreement was being developed, Nicita started a push for a charter amendment that would require voter approval for any city-backed bonds like those proposed for the mall project.

A meeting about the amendment proposal drew nearly 400 project supporters wearing stickers that read 鈥�1,500 jobs鈥� 鈥� a reference to the proposed project’s expected economic impact.

Bruning said both his company and Cabela’s would walk away if the charter amendment were to pass. It didn’t, but in June, Bruning walked away anyway; he cited division in the commission as the reason.

鈥淚 don’t want to prejudge anything, but the city and the people of Oregon City need to determine what they want,鈥� Bruning said. 鈥淎nd I just hope the commission can become unified, whether our project moves forward or not.鈥�

Downtown property owner Dan Fowler believes the entire project would suit Oregon City, and the proposed site in particular.

鈥淚 think Cabela’s would have been an absolutely great fit 鈥� and better yet, they wanted to be here,鈥� Fowler said. 鈥淚t’s frustrating as a business guy to see someone putting up roadblocks in front of the businesses that want to come to town.鈥�

Fowler, who was Oregon City’s mayor for eight years, understands that elected officials face tough decisions and often must make compromises. But he added that public officials need can-do attitudes.

鈥淲e’ve all worked very hard to build momentum within the business community during difficult times, and we need to take advantage of that,鈥� he said.

Oregon City Auditor Nancy Ide said Parks has until Oct. 18 to turn in 1,742 valid signatures for verification. If sufficient verified signatures are turned in, Nicita will have a short time period to either resign or submit a statement of justification, which will then go before voters within 35 days, Ide said.

Nicita declined to comment bypress time.