Gibbons: More than 200 signatures on petition

Effort to recall Mayor Patten in 4th week

By Vic Monaco, Managing Editor
   HIGHTSTOWN – The man spearheading a campaign to have Mayor Bob Patten recalled from office said this week that he and his supporters had collected more than 200 signatures, mostly on weekends.
   ”About 90 percent of the people I actually talk to, regardless of whether they’re Republican or Democrat, are signing the petition,” J.P. Gibbons claimed Monday. “The others are either saying no or ‘come back.’ People are upset.”
   ”The question now is do we stop at 650 signatures or go higher,” he added. “We’ll probably shoot for a thousand.”
   Mr. Gibbons’ recall committee has 160 days from the date of the petition’s approval, Aug. 21, to collect 633 signatures in order to get the question on a public ballot. That number represents 25 percent of the number of registered voters in the last general election.
   Mr. Gibbons, a North Main Street resident, announced in July his intention to seek the recall, saying such action is needed because Mayor Patten is “divisive” and his exclusionary tactics have hurt the borough’s economy and reputation.
   Mayor Patten, in the second year of his second four-year term, has said there is no justification for the recall effort.
   Mr. Gibbons previously said he has about 20 volunteers helping him circulate the petition door to door. While volunteers are still helping him, he said this week, he recently decided to take more of a personal approach.
   ”It’s more effective when I’m there and they’re talking directly to me,” he said, while on business in California. “I bring a portfolio with me to show them ordinance language and resolutions that Bob is pushing through.”
   In addition, he said, he carries newspaper articles on how Mayor Patten, a Republican, has excluded members of the all-Democratic Borough Council from important meetings.
   ”At the very least this will force the mayor to defend his positions during a special election,” he said.
   By law, Mr. Gibbons said, such a special election cannot be held within 55 days of the general election and, thus, it would occur at least that long after Nov. 4.
   The Borough Council earlier this month was urged publicly by former Councilman Mike Vanderbeck, a supporter of Mayor Patten’s, to take a stand on the recall effort. Council President Walter Sikorski responded by saying that no one on the council plans to sign the petition. But Mr. Sikorski also defended the council’s silence by saying it had hoped to stay above the fray.
   Mr. Gibbons said this week that he was fine with the council’s earlier silence and disappointed by Mr. Sikorski’s comments.
   Councilman Larry Quattrone has said he would like his name put into consideration as a successor to Mayor Patten should a recall election be held. Mr. Gibbons repeated this week that he thinks Mr. Quattrone would be a “fine” choice. He said that while the recall committee has not endorsed any potential successor, it might do so in the future.
   It is Mr. Gibbons’ hope that a recall election would include two questions: one on whether to recall Mayor Patten and another to choose his successor. By law, Mr. Patten’s name could be considered as a successor candidate.
   Borough Administrator Candace Gallagher has estimated that a recall election will cost $16,650, and Mr. Gibbons has promised to pay all costs himself.
   Told of Mr. Gibbons’ comments on the number of signatures he has gathered, Mayor Patten said he is concentrating on his duties as mayor and encourages any resident to contact him if they have a concern about the town and its services.