Mahwah Mayor Not Fighting Recall In Court, Will Proceed With Vote

MAHWAH, NJ — Mayor William Laforet will not challenge the certification of the signatures on the recall petition filed against him in court and will go ahead with a recall vote.

In a long statement posted on Facebook Monday morning, Laforet said that such a legal challenge would "result in yet another legal bill being paid by the Mahwah taxpayers," stating that he will "take his case to the people."

"I intend to run a campaign based on truth, and I intend to expose those who would dupe people into signing a recall petition, which was fraudulently gathered," Laforet said. "I have faith in my friends and neighbors and the good people of this community to do the right thing at the polls."

Melanie Sue, a member of the Recall Laforet Committee, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Laforet previously attributed the recall vote to "petty council politics" that has cost taxpayers more than $500,000 in legal fees.

"Such legal challenge would result in yet another legal bill being paid by the Mahwah taxpayers," Laforet said.

Township Clerk Katherine Coviello certified in July that at least 4,150, the minimum number needed, of the more than 5,000 signatures collected in the second recall effort launched against Laforet are from registered Mahwah voters.

Laforet filed a 12-page objection to the recall petitions with Coviello's office. Laforet called Coviello's response to his objections "perfunctory."

Candidates wishing to replace Laforet need to file their intention to run for his post. If the recall is approved, the winning candidate would immediately replace Laforet as mayor.

Laforet said he has an an "impeccable record of performance." He said that under his administration the town has maintained its Moody's AAA bond rating and provided one of the "lowest levels of property taxes in Bergen County."

Laforet and the council locked horns regarding a controversial ordinance banning non-New Jersey residents from using township parks. Laforet came under fire for criticizing the Town Council over the ordinance and its alleged discrimination against Orthodox Jews.

Another ordinance required peddlers to get permits before they went to residents' homes soliciting. The ordinances were proposed during a controversy regarding a Jewish religious boundary in town commonly called an eruv.

The state Attorney General's Office filed a civil rights lawsuit against the town.

Council President Robert Hermansen has denied that any prejudicial or discriminatory motives were behind the ordinances' creation and passage. The ordinances have since been repealed.

The Town Council cast a vote of no confidence in Laforet in September — the second such vote cast against him in three years.

The first recall campaign agains Laforet was in 2015, but the group in charge of it stopped its campaign because there was not enough time to get the required number of signatures.

That group claimed that Laforet allegedly did not abide by municipal statutes regarding the opening of an ice rink on town property, circumvented the Town Council's authority and accused him of using emergency communications equipment for political gain.

Officials and residents were also at odds with Laforet regarding his decision to terminate then-DPW Director Ed Sinclair in 2015 over allegations of inappropriate material being watched on DPW computers. Sinclair's estate filed a lawsuit against Laforet and Police Chief James Batelli, claiming they waged a malicious campaign against him in retaliation for Sinclair's attempt to unseat Laforet in 2012, and ultimately caused his death in August 2015.

Here is Laforet's complete statement released on Monday:

Related:

• Mahwah Council President: We Had Nothing To Do With Recall
• Mahwah Council Casts Vote Of No Confidence In Mayor Laforet
• Residents Get Enough Signatures For Mahwah Mayoral Recall
• Ed Sinclair, Mahwah DPW Director Found Dead In His Home
• Deceased Mahwah DPW Director's Estate Files Lawsuit Against Mayor And Police Chief: Report

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Image: Mayor William Laforet (Patch file photo)