Resident's Letter: Do-Nothing Council Vs. A Can-Do Mayor

To The Editor:

Recently it has been asserted that anyone not agreeing to recall our Mayor must be brainwashed or intimidated. That, of course, is the hallmark strategy of bullies attempting to squash non-conforming opinions. So, if there’s any coercing going on – it’s by Freund and cohorts, who want to shove an additional, FOURTH, mayoral election in 5 years (2016, 2012, 2011,…) down the throat of Mahwah residents. That alone is ample reason to reject their petition.

One needs to look at the bigger picture to understand this misguided effort. For decades, the local political “club” was “seating” the mayor in mock elections. But once Mahwah residents were finally given a true choice of an independent candidate, they twice in a row voted overwhelmingly against the candidates (Da Puzzo and Sinclair) presented by the “good-ole girls & boys” club.

Of course, this upset the feudal lords, who have since used their puppets on the council to bring Mahwah to a grinding halt in retaliation. Need I remind anyone…

Mahwah Ambulance Corps 1 had a record of missing urgent calls by dispatch. Our new Mayor stepped up, despite the operators’ deep pockets that comfortable funded election ads and legal campaigns. Eventually the active members of Corps 1 couldn’t wait to merge into our new town-wide volunteer service, and the family running the old organization finally showed their true colors, declaring publicly that the hundreds of thousands donated by Mahwah residents would never be used to benefit our town! The council’s action, before and after: None!

In the winter, the roller rink that had previously been donated by the MMA, was upgraded by the MMA for free ice skating. The council’s action: Take it down!

Nowadays, properties near suburban train stations are high-value real-estate. Replacing the eye-sore of a downtown recycling center with visually attractive, luxury commuter apartments would bring affluent shoppers and their cash into struggling downtown stores, restaurants and businesses. The mayor found a buyer offering $4.5 Mio – and the township already owns a property in properly designated commercial zone. The council’s action: They won’t even allow it on their agenda to be discussed!

Our K-9 retired. So the mayor called upon benefactors to enable a replacement K-9 to join our police department at no cost to the township’s tax payers. The council’s action: Bewilderment!

While our current DPW director was “only” the DPW superintendent, some personnel misused township computers for inappropriate purposes. The mayor decided to hold the manager responsible for what happens under his watch – as one would do in the “real world”. The council disagreed. That’s within their right – but who does the council hold responsible, if not the manager in charge (their former mayoral candidate)? Absolutely no one!

Finally, I actually very much appreciate having a mayor using his good name – and his phone number – to sign the helpful and relevant township alerts that arrive on my cell phone!

In the aftermath of a freak ice storm and a subsequent Hurricane, our mayor proved himself repeatedly as an effective manager. If anything, this recall should be directed at our local YouTube-sensation council persona, and the council’s “boycott president”. Given the choice of a do-nothing council vs. a can-do mayor (even if unconventional at times), I opt for getting things done in town. That’s not the result of intimidation, it’s residents making up their OWN minds!

Andy Schmidt