WOODCLIFF LAKE—Two departing council members — two-term Democratic councilwoman Angela Hayes and one-term Republican councilman Stephen Falanga — were honored for their service at the Borough Council’s final meeting of the year, Dec. 22, 2022, held on Zoom.
Both had declined to seek reelection, and both were recognized by the mayor and council for their public service. Hayes served two terms over six years; Falanga served one term over three years.
Hayes was absent from the meeting but Falanga attended. Democratic newcomers Benjamin Pollack and Nicole Marsh narrowly topped Republican challengers Joshua Stern and Brian DiStefano in the Nov. 8 General Election to secure seats.
With Pollack and Marsh’s election, the six-member council is composed of all Democrats, overseen by Mayor Carlos Rendo, whose four-year term of office expires Dec. 31.
Rendo read a plaque recognizing Falanga. Councilwoman Josephine Higgins read a plaque honoring Hayes.
Hayes served six years from 2017 through 2022. Higgins said she served on “countless” committees including Planning Board, administration and finance, shade tree, building department, police department, mental health, welfare, and education.
Higgins said Hayes was honored in 2021 to be elected as council president by the board. Higgins said she exhibited “tireless efforts to serve the residents of Woodcliff Lake.” Higgins noted that it was a pleasure working with Hayes.
Rendo thanked Falanga for “your tireless efforts” as a council member and committee liaison, and reading the plaque said, “A grateful community thanks you.” Higgins thanked Falanga for all he had done, noting “You’re young, you could be like me and go another round.”
Margolis told Falanga, “What a pleasure it was for me coming on and working with you immediately.” She said Falanga answered all of her calls and listened to “all of my crazy ideas.” She said he was a wonderful partner to work with, and recognized Falanga’s “positivity and unrivaled steadiness.”
Margolis also thanked Angela Hayes “for the work she’s done for the borough and the town. She said Hayes asked some tough questions, got involved, and she “really appreciates anyone who puts themselves out there.”
Councilman Richard Schnoll said that Falanga was “always level-headed when things got emotional” and called him “a voice of reason, sometimes in times when people are not being reasonable.”
He said he wished him the best and hoped he might come back to the council, possibly as mayor, though that might not pan out.
Complimenting Angela Hayes, Schnoll said he “really enjoyed working with her” and said he knows she devoted “a lot of time in the last six years to the town and she should be commended for that and she always had very insightful questions regarding the economics of our budgets, which is always an important thing.”
Councilwoman Jacqueline Gadaleta said she’d known Hayes for six years, and “It was a pleasure working with her” and noted she had many “insightful thoughts and good comments and has made a positive impact for the town.”
Gadaleta, a Democrat, said she’s known Falanga, a Republican, for over 20 years as their daughters were best friends since preschool. She said Falanga was a good friend, wonderful husband, an outstanding councilman, and as her husband reminded her, “always a gentleman.”
She noted that the borough has been “so fortunate” to have Falanga on council, noting the Causeway improvements, adding with his help and others’ help, “We got it done. So now we can drive over there with a smile on our face,” said Gadaleta.
She noted that the Causeway has a “new walkway, a new fence, and it’ll look beautiful and it’ll be a central focal point of Woodcliff Lake that we can be proud of.”
Falanga thanked everyone for their kind words and said the reason he ran for office “was to give back to the community that I love and embraced my family and continues to do amazing things to this day.” He said he’s happy to have given the nearly three years of service he did, especially with Covid’s impacts on the town and government.
He thanked administrator Tom Padilla, clerk Debbie Dakin, attorney John Schettino, and all Borough Hall employees.
“I’m not going anywhere, I’m still living in town, so I’m going to see you guys. Thank you,” said Falanga.