The deadline is quickly approaching for Buckeye residents to gather enough signatures to force a recall election of the city’s mayor, and organizers do not feel optimistic they’ll reach their goal.

Spiking water bills nearly made Buckeye burst with outrage last year, which led a group of residents to file paperwork to recall Mayor Jackie Meck.

To force a special election, recall organizers need to turn in a minimum of 1,718 to the city clerk by 6 p.m. on March 22. They’ve already gathered about 1,200, and petitions are still circulating. But organizers said it’s unlikely they’ll get enough to recall Meck. 

The city has taken steps to respond to residents. It set up a hotline for concerned customers, canceled a rate-hike increase and parted ways with the head of the water department.