To the editor: The services provided by Strengthen our Sisters are important to our community and deserve to operate within the bounds of their mission and state health and safety regulations. It is my intention as a councilman to facilitate a cost effective and safe solution to this matter and wish to have the support of my fellow council members. The following letter was sent to council members Nolan and Warden on November 11, 2005. To date, neither gentleman has replied. You have both recused yourself from participating with the rest of the council and the mayor in resolving the issues concerning Strengthen our Sisters. You have both claimed to be friends and have some type of financial interaction with the organization and its head which would cause you both to be unable to act impartially. This, I have great difficulty believing. Instead, I think that you have chosen the politically expedient way out to distance yourself from a difficult issue. This way, you can say to the people on both sides of this issue, “Sorry, but I had to recuse myself.” Kindly inform the rest of the council the types and amounts of your financial interaction with this organization and the circumstances of your “friendship” with Ms. Ramos so that the rest of us can better understand why you both have abdicated your responsibilities to work with the council on this important matter. Joe Elcavage West Milford