Trust The Process

As Mahwah begins the arduous process of digging out from under the mess left by the prior mayor, there's a natural inclination to expect a quick-fix to all the issues that have been ignored, mishandled or swept under the rug over the past 5 years.

For the first time in more than 25 years, a sitting Mayor from a Bergen County Township has been removed from office through a recall process that has failed more times than has been successful. Recall elections are not entirely uncommon. However, the removal of a seated official through a recall election, is exceedingly rare. They are successful only when it becomes clear to a vast majority of the voting public that an elected official has fallen short of expectations and can no longer serve effectively.

Unlike the results of a traditional election, where the orderly transfer of power takes place over a 2- or 3-month period, the transition period following a recall election is exactly zero days. The recalled mayor is removed from office the moment the new mayor has been declared the winner. Furthermore, it is extremely likely that a great deal of turmoil and chaos is left in the wake of a recalled official. After-all, the reasons they were removed from office in the first place, was their inability to govern with authority, manage through crisis and lead by example. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, that the tumult left behind by the former Mayor of Mahwah, would result in anything but an orderly transition of power.

Fortunately for Mahwah, no one was better prepared or more equipped to immediately assume the duties of the office of Mayor - without the benefit of a transition period - than John Roth. As a former council president, he knew the responsibilities of the office; as a corporate executive, he understood the value of decisive leadership, and as a loyal resident and homeowner, John seeks only to do what is right for the town. But most importantly, John Roth’s 19 uninterrupted years of service to our town should leave no doubt that he will govern Mahwah with a focus both on the issues we face today and with a vision for tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the deceitful actions of the prior administration have left a bad taste in the mouths of many residents. Lies, infighting, back-door deals, questionable decisions and obvious conflicts of interest have all led to an entirely predictable and heightened level of caution directed toward the incoming (and remaining) administration.

If you’ve ever witnessed the reactions of an abused shelter dog when their new owner reaches out to pet them, then you might begin to understand the anxiety some Mahwah residents have experienced during recent council meetings and deliberations. After being beaten down and lied to over an extended period, it’s only natural to become suspicious or unsure of a newer and more measured form of leadership. It’s not only Pavlovian to feel this way, but these reactions are entirely predictable and may take some time to get used to.

I have been a witness to several severe market dislocations over a 25+ year Wall Street career. Many of those anomalies were short-lived and after a brief pause, things began to return to normal. There were, however, a small handful of global disruptions that required much more than a simple textbook response by regulators or legislators. The mortgage crisis for example, caused the loss of trillions of dollars to the global economy, millions of jobs and affected the lives of billions of people around the world. While not comparing the mortgage crisis of 2008 to the current situation in Mahwah, one should never underestimate the value of effective crisis management.

From simply looking to create a new, honest and open work environment to actively seeking to change the recent negative trajectory of our town, John Roth and Rob Ferguson were newly elected this past November because Mahwah wanted change. We needed representatives we could trust, and we wanted action. But most of all, we wanted leaders who share our vision.

It is now time for the residents of Mahwah to Trust the Process and to allow our leaders to lead. We mustn’t dwell on why a candidate won or lost, but only that our democratic process worked; and that John, Rob and the rest of the Council will act in the best interest of Mahwah.

Decisions and rulings made by the council and the mayor are rarely met with near unanimous town consent. That basic premise also holds true for elections. Roth’s win over Laforet last month was an extraordinary and decisive victory by all measures. However, in spite of the fact that John won by a margin that was 10 times greater than the margin Bill achieved in 2016, more than 40% of Mahwah voters “did not” vote for the current mayor. We owe it to ourselves, to the new administration and to the town of Mahwah, to truly listen before forming an opinion; and to think before speaking. Don’t blindly argue your own viewpoint without at least attempting to understand all sides. Don’t speak to your personal views without first analyzing the counter-argument. It is only then will you begin to understand what our elected officials deal with every day.

Mahwah made history last month. We showed the state of New Jersey that our elected officials should be held to a higher standard. We also sent a message to the County, that our Mayors and Council members work for the residents and not for the party. Finally, we proved to ourselves that we have the power to control our own destiny; and no one understands this better than the occupants of 475 Corporate Drive in Mahwah. Not only have we put the office of Mayor on notice, but every council, committee, commission and board member know that transparency and honesty are critical in all communications and that their actions speak louder than words. Residents should hold our elected and appointed officials to a standard that is high. But we should also let them know that our tolerance for under performance is low, and our patience for dishonesty is exactly zero.

I stand firmly behind the new leadership team in Mahwah and look for them to act with prudence and integrity. Their success is our success. If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists - to protect them and to promote their common welfare - all else is lost.