Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet could potentially be voted out of office — and back into office — on the same day.
Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet could potentially be voted out of office — and back into office — on the same day.
Bill Laforet. (File photo)
Seven years after being elected mayor of Bergen County’s largest municipality, Laforet is facing his second recall attempt. The first failed to generate enough signatures to make it to the polls. But this latest effort succeeded in getting a question on the November ballot asking if Laforet should keep his job.
Since he could be ousted if a majority of voters favor the recall, there will also be candidates in November running for mayor — and Laforet is one of them.
But if you ask Laforet, there’s no need for mayoral candidates.
“I am confident that a large majority of our community will reject the recall attempt,” he said Thursday.
Candidates’ petitions were due this week, and Laforet will be challenged by former Councilman John Roth.
Roth ran against Laforet in 2016, letting his expiring council term go in favor of running for mayor. But Roth lost to Laforet by less than 100 votes in a three-way race that also included Councilman Jonathan Wong.
After almost two years out of politics, Roth is back to challenge Laforet again.
“I’m running because our town needs a significant course correction,” he said.
Roth said that Laforet’s “inability to have a relationship with the council is very disruptive to the town.”
“There’s always been a healthy tension between the council and the mayor,” Roth said. “But Laforet has always put his interests first. And we’ve all suffered the consequences.”
John RothFacebook
Having served 12 years on the council, five years on the school board and two on the planning board, Roth said he has the “breath and depth” of experience to lead Mahwah.
Roth is being backed by his former council colleague, current Council President Rob Hermansen, who himself submitted a petition to also run for mayor. But on Thursday, Hermansen withdrew his bid for mayor and will only run for his expiring council term.
“We’re in a position where I have a council seat that’s up right now,” Hermansen said. “Even though I can run for both of them, at the end of the day I didn’t think it was fair. I didn’t think people would understand it.”
“In the best interest of the town, and for the recall to work and to replace the mayor, we all needed to be on one page,” he said.
Hermansen and Laforet have been bitter foes. Laforet has blamed Hermansen for the recall. And Hermansen has accused Laforet of not working cooperatively with the council.
“I think if Billy was a smart man he would resign now and take the town out of the spotlight of this,” Hermansen said.
Laforet, a life-long resident and business owner in Mahwah, has said he has no intention of stepping down. And he touts several designations again and again that he credits to his administration — the lowest taxes in the county, one of the safest communities in the state, two AAA bond ratings and world-class businesses setting up shop in the township.
“These accomplishments cannot be duplicated without a dedicated administration,” Laforet said Thursday.
Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2018/09/mayor_will_run_for_seat_on_the_same_ballot_he_is_b.html