WAYNE

Despite recall petition, second vote, Wayne councilman won't resign

WAYNE — Despite a petition filed Wednesday for the recall of Councilman Richard Jasterzbski, he once again has refused to step down.

At its meeting Wednesday night, the Township Council took a second “no confidence” resolution vote, which also requested his resignation. Jasterzbski was the sole "no" vote on the symbolic resolution.

Wayne Councilman Richard Jasterzbski has said repeatedly that he will not resign, after an expletive-laden argument was captured on a cellphone.

Before a vote was taken, Jasterzbski said that if comments were made about him at the meeting by "anyone who represents the town" that could be considered "slander," "defamation," or "prejudice," he "will have to take legal action."

"It is unfortunate that it has come down to this," Jasterzbski said before the vote.

The motion was initiated by Councilman Joseph Schweighardt so his council mates James Jimenez, who was absent from the last meeting, and Lucy “Aileen” Rivera, who abstained because she had not yet seen the video, could cast a vote, he said.

The resolution passed 6-1, with council President Lonni Miller Ryan abstaining once more. Councilman Jonathan Ettman was absent, but previously voted “yes.”

The petition was received by the township clerk's office Wednesday morning. The office has three business days to approve the recall petition, based on New Jersey statutes.

The recall petition was filed by 1st Ward residents Alan Purcell, Anthony Ciambrone and former school trustee Robert Ceberio, who, in a statement included with the petition, said Jasterzbski is "unsuitable to hold public office" due to a vulgar argument caught on video earlier this month.

The argument recorded on cellphones was rooted in campaign signs, which Jasterzbski said had been removed from the window of the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization’s headquarters days before the primary election.

In the video, recorded by Susan Enderly, a local Republican organization volunteer and state committee candidate, and one of her daughters using cellphones, Jasterzbski is seen standing very close to Enderly, pointing at her while angrily making sexual comments and shouting expletives over five or six minutes.

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"We believe that regardless whether or not he expresses any remorse in the future, [which he has failed to do to date], the crude, vicious and sexually explicit nature of his verbal comments which are forever preserved on the internet and social media evidences unacceptable treatment of women and is thoroughly incompatible with any role of public service, particularly since public officials serve as role models for children," reads a statement included with the petition.

At the meeting, Councilman Joseph Scuralli encouraged 1st Ward residents to sign the petition once it is ratified.

"I urge everyone so able to get involved to sign the petition and help our town to preserve our reputation and do what's right," said Scuralli.

New Jersey's constitution allows for the recall of any elected official in the state or Congress for any reason.

For a recall petition to succeed, signatures from 25 percent of registered voters from the 1st Ward are required to be collected within 160 days. A successful recall petition triggers a recall election.

The representative to be recalled must have completed one year in office, and intent for the petition must be filed with township election officials to assess validity. Jasterbzski's council seat expires in December 2019.

A total of 5,266 registered voters were recorded in the 1st Ward during June's primary; 1,317 signatures are needed for a successful petition. About 19 percent of registered voters turned out for Wayne's most recent primary elections.

Email: presinzanoj@northjersey.com