The following Letter to the Editor was forwarded to the Record, Home & Store News and Suburban News. It was published in the Record on Sunday, June 6, edited by the paper. It was published in its entirety in the Suburban on Wednesday, June 9.

RCA Opposes Recall

The Ramsey Civic Association (RCA) approved a motion at its May 19 meeting to oppose the proposed recall of Ramsey Mayor Richard Muti. The RCA's mission is to provide a forum for Ramsey residents to voice opinions and concerns about issues that affect our town, and members felt that objecting to this recall attempt falls within those guidelines.

The consensus was that a recall is a serious matter that will distract our elected officials from the jobs we elected them to do. The RCA believes it should be the last step in the process, not the first, and should only be instituted for malfeasance or a violation of the law. While the recall announcement lists some reasons the mayor should be removed from office, these reasons seem to deal primarily with style not substance, and do not contain sufficient data to justify such an expense to the Boro at a time when all our resources are being stretched to the maximum.

In Ramsey's form of government a mayor has no vote, but this should not prevent him from being able to vigorously advocate his own viewpoints and positions. Very often an idea doesn't survive the entire process through the various boards and commissions to the final council vote. This again is our democratic process at work. However, attacking the proponents of ideas will cause future public servants to resist serving our community.

We expect that a leader will decide what plans and policies he or she will advocate, and then work hard to implement them for the betterment of Ramsey. Healthy disagreement is an important part of civic responsibility, and it should not be cause for removing an elected individual from office.

The RCA members expressed their hope that the proponents of the recall attempt will bring unbiased facts regarding their problems and concerns to a council meeting or other public forum and help find a less expensive and divisive way to resolve their problems and concerns. If those who want a recall have no evidence that this mayor has engaged in malfeasant behavior or has violated the law, then we urge the voters of Ramsey to abandon this pursuit and spare us from the distraction and expense that will result from a recall election.

The Ramsey Civic Association