SICILY ISLAND, La. – Mayor Anne Wycoff said she is confident village residents will vote against her recall. In a statement released Thursday, the mayor responded to a citizens’ petition that seeks a new mayoral election in the village of just more than 400 people.

&uot;I deeply regret and am disappointed that a recall petition has been filed seeking my recall from office,&uot; Wycoff said. &uot;My election in 1998 with over 60 percent of the vote signifies a cry of the people of this village that they were ready for a change from the ‘politics as usual’ that had been prevalent in the Office of Mayor and Board of Aldermen for over a decade prior to the vote.&uot;

The petition, which Catahoula Parish Registrar of Voters Sue Manning said had enough signatures to be valid, has now been forwarded to the state.

Under law, the state has 15 calendar days from the day it receives the petition to issue a proclamation setting a new mayoral election for the town. That would set the deadline to act on the petition on Nov. 3.

But state officials do not know when a new election might be held.

Earlier this week, Gwen James, chairman of the group circulating the petition, said she wanted to protest the firing of former police officer Keith Berry almost two months ago.

Wycoff said the action taken with Berry was done &uot;after much soul-searching and was done in the best interest of the Village of Sicily Island.&uot;

Wycoff cited several actions of her administration, including a $20,000 grant for street lights, signs and benches, and efforts to provide drainage and street improvements in sections of the village.