Mahwah Recall Effort Falls Short Of Required Number Of Signatures

The recall effort of a dedicated group of Mahwah residents came up short of its goal and, as a result, residents will not get a chance to decide if William Laforet should continue as mayor.

The group had been trying for months to get the more than 4,200 signatures needed to place a recall question on the November ballot.

Annette Freund, the group’s chairwoman, would not give the exact number of signatures collected, but did say it was a “significant amount.” Freund said the group unanimously voted not to reveal the final number to the media. 

Campaigners gave five reasons for the recall in their literature, including that Laforest allegedly dd not abide by municipal statutes regarding the opening of an ice rink on town property, circumventing the Town Council’s authority, and accusing the mayor of using emergency communications equipment for political gain.

Freund said many people said they didn’t sign the petition out of fear of personal or political retaliation.

“That fear was real, we heard people say to us, over and over. That fear was, and is, real, powerful, and dangerous,” Freund said. “If those people who supported our cause, but were afraid to sign, signed the petition, I believe we would’ve surpassed the 4,200 signatures needed.”

The committee handed out more than 5,000 information cards and 600 voter registration forms.

“The hope that we have about the fear that exists now, we hope it won’t exist in the voting booth in November,” Freund said. “No one’s looking at you in the voting booth.”\

Laforet issued a statement Monday morning:

“As your Mayor I will continue to work for the good of our community.

Mahwah has had an enviable history of personal, non-political, and courteous relationships.

So, an attempt to introduce petty politics into the township was met, unsurprisingly, with the thunderous thud of rejection.

Our non-partisan form of government has delivered among the lowest property taxes, a coveted Triple AAA bond rating for how we manage our taxpayer’s money, a ranking as the safest community in New Jersey, and one of the finest police departments in the nation. Corporations who are staying in Mahwah, not leaving Mahwah.

Outstanding public schools that are the envy of many others, and a small town feeling about our quality of life here.

This is what makes Mahwah a great place to live.

Perhaps, there’s a civics lesson in there for politicians everywhere else these days.”