PASCACK VALLEY—Municipal election results are in and contested races showed a mixed result, with both Republicans and Democrats winning seats and Emerson’s incumbent Republican mayor Danielle DiPaola — alleged by her opponent delaying the Emerson Station downtown redevelopment project — handily winning reelection.
DiPaola, and her incumbent running mates, Republican councilwomen Jill McGuire and Nicole Argenzia, were reelected by large margins over their Democratic challengers in Emerson — the only Pascack Valley town with a mayoral contest.
Unofficial results for most races were posted early on Nov. 9 to the Bergen County clerk’s office website, although late vote-by-mail ballots can be counted for up to 10 days after the election.
Countywide, the clerk reported a 42.9% voter turnout, with 286,427 votes out of 668,203 registered voters, according to unofficial results.
Provisional votes will be vetted and counted within a week of election, said the clerk’s elections division. The election will be certified and marked as official on Nov. 21, officials said.
Emerson
In Emerson’s mayoral contest, DiPaola bested Democratic challenger Jeanine Lamatina, 68% to 32%, 2,084 votes to 991 votes, based on unofficial results.
This is the first time a mayor has been elected to two consecutive terms here since Harvey Truppi, also a Republican, who served 1986–1994. (Truppi, 83, died this Nov. 3; see Obituaries, page 38.)
DiPaola posted on Election Night, “I love our little town and all the people in it. I love coming to games to cheer your children on, meeting with the seniors at the senior center, working with our fabulous staff at Borough Hall. I could go on and on about this little town and what it means to me. I love being your mayor and I am hoping that tomorrow you allow me to continue.”
She told Pascack Press the next day she was deeply grateful for voters’ confidence. “In the next four years we plan to update infrastructure as it relates to flooding, upgrade our playground equipment in our many parks, provide more programs and activities for residents of every age level to promote our sense of community and well being, improve the Kinderkamack corridor aesthetically as well as work to reduce congestion, all while maintaining our fiscal responsibility to hold the line on taxes.”
Lamatina had alleged during the campaign that DiPaola interfered with the permitting for Emerson Station, a litigation-plagued redevelopment project approved in 2018 that will bring a 147-unit mixed-use retail project to downtown.
Lamatina’s husband, immediate past mayor Louis Lamatina, was in office in 2018 when the project was approved. DiPaola, then on council, voted over and over against the scope of the project and the means by which the borough secured properties for its redevelopment partner — then inherited its signed agreements.
(Related: “Lamatina vs. DiPaola for mayor; Block 419 details emerge,” Pascack Press, Oct. 17, 2022.)
Emerson’s Republican incumbents Jill McGuire’s 1,955 votes, (32%) and Nicole Argenzia’s 1,942 votes (about 32%) topped Democratic challengers Richard Dinallo’s 19% (1,116 votes) and Jose Organ’s 18% (1,070 votes).
Park Ridge, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake
Incumbent Democrats lost in Park Ridge, incumbent Republicans held on in Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake saw two Democratic newcomers narrowly defeat two new Republican challengers for two open council seats.
In Park Ridge, Republican challengers Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman surprised incumbent Democrats Robert Metzdorf and Kelly Epstein. Hoffman’s 1,965 votes (26%) and Goldsmith’s 1,911 votes (25.3%) beat back Metzdorf’s 1,870 votes (25%) and Epstein’s 1,793 votes (23.8%).
In Westwood, incumbent Republicans Robert Bicocchi and Beth Dell eked by their Democratic challenger, Lesley Whyard, for the two open seats. Dell’s 2,465 votes (36.3%) and Bicocchi’s 2,262 votes (33.3%) took the top slots over Whyard’s 2,048 votes (30.2%).
In Woodcliff Lake, Democratic newcomers Benjamin Pollack and Nicole Marsh narrowly topped Republican challengers Joshua Stern and Brian DiStefano. Pollack’s 1,358 votes (26.25%) and Marsh’s 1,352 votes (26.1%) beat back Republican Joshua Stern’s 1,242 votes (24%) and Brian DiStefano’s 1,222 votes (23.6%).
The two open seats were due to upcoming departures of one-term Republican Stephen Falanga and longtime Democratic councilwoman Angela Hayes, who both chose not to seek reelection.
Woodcliff Lake Public Question
Voters approved 59% to 41% the public question that allows local Open Space Trust Fund monies to be used to pay down debt service on bonds issued by the borough for Open Space purposes. The vote was 912 in favor and 625 opposed.
The dedicated municipal Open Space fund was previously approved for seven years last year; the public question approval now allows officials to use local Open Space dollars on projects such as the now-underway Galaxy Gardens passive park. The local fund charges taxpayers 1 cent for every $100 of assessed property value.
Hillsdale, Montvale, River Vale
Three uncontested council races were on tap in Hillsdale, Montvale and River Vale.
Hillsdale Republican incumbent Janetta Trochimiuk, current council president, and Republican newcomer Justin P. Fox pulled in 2,190 and 2,216 votes, respectively.
In Montvale, Republican incumbents Chris Roche and Timothy Lane tallied 1,918 and 1,916 votes respectively.
In River Vale, Mark Bromberg, council president, totaled 2,535 votes in an uncontested mayoral race. Republican newcomer James Tolomeo tallied 2,340 votes and incumbent Democratic councilwoman Denise Sieg garnered 2,005 votes.
The Township of Washington did not have a mayor or council race this year.
