Letter To The Editor: Voters' Voices Should Be Respected In Council Appointment
An e-mail from a Mahwah resident Jackie Bowns
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I feel compelled to inquire of the Town Council as to how they intend to fill the vacant seat left by Mr. DaPuzzo at the upcoming meeting scheduled for March 31, 2011. Politics are changing at the local and national level.
Citizens want to know that their voice is being heard.
People vote in order to elect the candidate that will listen and follow their wishes. What they don’t like is a “good old boy system” when deals are made for votes and voters wishes are not heard.
The last time Mahwah had a vacant seat on the Council, it was filled by Harry Williams, who previously ran for a Council seat that past year. Mr. Williams just missed being elected but was the next highest vote-getter. Mr. Williams ran a campaign, spent his own money and money raised by his supporters and ran ads.
The people heard from him regarding his thoughts and ideas and made a choice to vote for him. This seemed fair when the Council appointed him to fill the seat that was vacated, since he was the voters next choice. Currently we have a similar situation.
Daniel Weixledorfer was on the last ballot, ran an election, spent his money, and his supporters' money and, like Harry, just missed being elected, but was the next highest vote-getter. There were approximately 100 votes separating Councilman Williams, Councilman Larson and Mr. Weixeldorfer.
Only this time, I see that the Council has requested that anyone who is interested in being on the Council send in a letter of interest and a resume.
In this way, the Council will pick someone THEY want on the board, not necessarily what the voters want. Currently, Ellen Stein, Chuck Jandris and David May have requested to be appointed to the Council. None of them ran in the last election and 2 of the 3 never ran in any election for the Council.
This seems to be unfair and also gives someone a free pass without the public being heard. To compound the situation … the same night as one of these individuals will be appointed to Council, you are voting on the Crossroads Mall project.
As we all know, the Crossroads Mall project has garnered a lot of public interest and could drastically change the makeup of the town of Mahwah.
How do you think it will look if you hand-pick someone that the people didn’t vote for and then let that person vote on this project? The reason I’m writing to you, Mayor DaPuzzo, as well as the Council, is because I know you have a tie-breaking vote of an appointment.
Please do the right thing, Mayor DaPuzzo and Council, and listen to the people that just voted for and supported Daniel Weixeldorfer.
Don’t make this look like the “good old boys at work” by giving someone a free pass to the front of the line. This Council position is only until a special election in November at which time any of the other three can go through the complete election process if they choose to and let the votes elect them."
Jackie Bowns
Jackie Bowns is a realtor who lives and works in Mahwah. According to Daniel Weixledorfer, Bowns was a supporter of his when he ran for a seat on the Council.
Ward G. Donigian
12:21 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
What has Daniel Weixeldorfer done for the town??? There is no free pass in life.
Zach Schleiffer
3:00 pm on Friday, April 1, 2011
All he has done is make racist remarks and bash the emergency services
Jackie Bowns
2:39 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Let him show what he can do for the people of Mahwah.
The good ol' boys want to shove the Crossroads down our throats...wonder whats in it for them?
Natalie LeRoy
8:14 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I agree with the letter to the editor and support Daniel weixeldorfer!!!
Neb Altinis
8:55 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Ward, your comment above is very misguided. There obviously is a precendence set here with Harry Williams' appointment in the past. The whole thing with appointing someone and then voting on the Mall Project reeks with inappropriate behaviour. Weixeldorfer ran a perfectly well executed campaign and lost to a group of candidates who pooled their resources together. How is that a "free pass?" The Council - ONCE AGAIN - is not distinguishing itself here. There are a lot rumors among citizens that the Council is an "old boys network" or worse a corrupt outfit. This is an opportunity to distinguish itself and it once again chooses not to do so. But I feel strongly that the electorate will get energized and correct things that will need correcting. It always happens that way....at the end.
Judy Jacobs
9:28 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Politics are best served when it is consistent with the will of the people. Dan Weixeldorfer is deserving of a seat on the council based on the recent vote count, which demonstrated the confidence the voters have in his ability to serve the community effectively.
Judy Jacobs (a 13 year resisent of Mahwah)
Aurora Diaz
11:24 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I strongly support this letter and really hope that justice is served in this case. The people of Mahwah need and deserve what Daniel Weixeldorfer has to offer. Give this fine gentleman a chance to show all of us how much he cares for the well being of the citizens of this town. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING!
Aurora Diaz ( a 12 year resident of Mahwah )
gloria volpe
11:32 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I would like to see the council pick the right person for the job. This is not a populatity contest. People that have been chosen before are hard workers for the town. Let the council do there job an pick the right person.
Gloria Volpe Lore
25 yr Mahwah resident
Jesse Stein
11:58 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I agree with this latter and would love to see a change. I am tired of the same old Mahwah..............We NEED CHANGE!!!
Jesse Stein
15 year Mahwah resident
susan karlewicz
4:38 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Do the right thing and appoint Daniel Weixeldorfer to the Town Council. His compassion and love for this town will only benefit the residents of Mahwah. Don't let the reputation that "all politicians are corrupt" be true for our town!
Christy
6:34 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Same rules should apply. This should not even be a discussion. Dan Weixeldorfer should be appointed by default. I agree with this letter. How the council votes on Thurs regarding both this appt. and Crossroads will prove if they listen or care what the residents want. Let's see...
robert
7:17 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
MR.Weixeldorfer lost the election for a reason,lets not bring all that up again,besides he could have thrown his name into the hat as did the other canidates
walter stanton
9:32 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
its obvious to me that the town council will pick who they want based on the crossroads vote ,this is judge Roy Bean politics and the only thing we need to find out is who is pulling the strings.Should be interesting
Linda Simon
10:30 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I support the letter, and believe that Dan Weixeldorfer should be appointed. No more of this closed door politics nonsense. Let the voice of the people of Mahwah be heard and respected.
Linda S.
Earl Grey
11:17 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I find Weixeldorfer's anti-semitic rants regarding Ellen Stein appalling!!! Why would ANYONE support someone so off-balanced? At least Ellen Stein has long been a positive supporter of Mahwah, and shown her mettle as a reasonable person who is NOT part of any "Old Boys Network"
K. Randazzo
5:16 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
They'll pick who they want and we'll all have to deal with it next election. Maybe then our vote will count. If that's the only way to get rid of the old boy network, we may just have to wait till then. Hopefully good men like Dan Weixeldorfer will still be interested and not disillusioned by Republican Politics.
A concerned citizen
Judy Richards
5:44 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I believe we need an honest, dedicated individual to fill this vacant seat on the Mahwah Town Council. We need someone who will listen to the concerns of his or her constituents. I believe in a "government of the people, by the people, for the people..."
I believe Dan Weixeldorfer is the man for the job.
Judy Richards
Patricia Bogert
7:19 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I agree with the many comments in support of Dan Weixeldorfer for Council. As the next highest vote getter in the recent election, he is clearly the voter's choice. Please do not ignore the will of the people. The arbitrary appointment of some insider favorite will not be acceptable to me or to most voters. Remember, there will be another election in the future!
Pat Bogert (Ramapo Ridge Mahwah resident)
John Camlic
11:41 am on Thursday, March 31, 2011
Add my name to the list of supporters of Dan Weixeldorfer for Council. I liked what he had to say before the election, and like what he has to say now.
Rosie
3:00 pm on Thursday, March 31, 2011
Dan will be the best that happend to Mahwah in a long wile. He has my support, Rosie