WEST NEW YORK — West New York Commissioner of Public Works Count Wiley was expected on Thursday to file a letter of intent with the town clerk’s office to gather signatures for a special election to recall Mayor Felix Roque at the municipal building, said Wiley’s aide David Hepperle. As per the town’s statutes, the town clerk, Carmela Ricci, then has seven days to determine whether the letter of intent, which is more of a procedural application than a letter, was filled out according to town code. Ricci’s decision will determine whether Wiley can begin gathering the necessary signatures needed to call a special election.
“[The letter] can be denied for something as little as a comma, but if that’s the case, we can make the necessary revisions, and re-submit it next week,” said Wiley. “Hopefully it will be accepted, they’ll tell us how many signatures we need, and we can get going.”
Wiley said that the clerk’s office estimated that around 5,000 signatures would be necessary to call a special election.
Wiley first announced his intent to call a special election following Mayor Felix Roque’s federal indictment for hacking charges last May. — Dean DeChiaro