PARK RIDGE—The borough’s 7,279 voters have a contested race for two council seats as incumbent Democrats Robert Metzdorf and Kelly Epstein are challenged by Republicans Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman.
The incumbents on their records
Incumbent Democrat and six-year councilman Robert Metzdorf served on the Planning Board for 10-plus years.
Metzdorf said, “For the past 34 years, I have been an attorney-at-law, currently in my own law practice. My family and I have resided in Park Ridge for the past 26-plus years. When my twin sons were young, I coached baseball, basketball and football for the PRAA.”
He said, “My highest priority is fiscal responsibility. As chairman of the Finance Committee, it is my responsibility to respect the taxpayers, promote public safety and continue to provide the exceptional public services our town expects.”
“As the liaison to the Utility Board, it is my pledge to the community that all residents will continue to receive clean water and cost effective, dependable electric services. Seeking outside grants to pay for increased safety and reliability is a priority to me. With the Covid pandemic and inflation, it has been challenging to keep our tax rates stable and maintain superior services.”
Metzdorf said, “We have been successful in this endeavor. This year, the average yearly home taxes for municipal services were increased by $133. At the same time, we were able to hire two new police officers without increasing the police budget. While the budget is a challenge, I will continue to be creative in saving the taxpayers money.”
He said his greatest goal is to obtain state and federal grants to dredge Mill Pond. “We have engineering plans to dredge and maintain the pond so that it may be enjoyed by our residents for recreational purposes and more importantly; provide flood relief for our town and those towns that are downstream.”
Metzdorf said, “Continuous examination of all expenditures is the key. Looking for ways to do something in a less expensive and more efficient way is always part of our budgeting process.”
On the recreation side, he said the borough has enjoyed many successes: “A new basketball court and a new soccer softball field behind Borough Hall with much of it paid for with outside grants.”
He said he would like to see a pickleball court and a dog park added to outdoor assets. “We will continue to examine and consider all new recreational ideas and programs. I pledge to continue to find ways to save money, provide for our town’s safety along with exceptional services our residents deserve.”
Incumbent Democrat Kelly Epstein said, “I am seeking a third term as council member in Park Ridge. I have lived in Park Ridge for the past 20 years and truly love this town. I am a homeowner, raising my family here with my husband, Ron, and my two children, ages 10 and 5, who attend the public schools.”
Epstein teaches social studies and psychology at Park Ridge High School and she’s involved in town committees such as Recreation, Diversity and Inclusion, and the Board of Health. She’s a member of the Pascack Historical Society and the League of Women Voters. She serves on the personnel and negotiations committees for the borough.
She said over the past six years she had been able to “curb overdevelopment, improve our recreational facilities, and increase the size of our police force, all while maintaining a reasonable tax rate.”
“In creating our budget, it is my goal to keep costs down while continuing to provide our great services to our residents. My 15 years of negotiations experience with union contracts has been instrumental in securing fair contracts for our public unions in the Borough, saving thousands of dollars for our residents. My connection to the schools provides an open dialog between the Borough and the Board of Education,” she wrote.
Epstein noted Park Ridge maintains its own water and electric companies. “This makes having high quality drinking water and cost-effective electricity a top priority. Our utilities cost less than other companies in the area. We are currently awaiting the approval of $16 million in federal funding to improve our water quality.”
“Public safety is another priority and having a strong, community connected, and fully staffed police force is paramount to this effort, which is why I supported hiring additional officers for our town.”
She said that if she’s reelected she wants to “continue to work closely with our police, fire, and OEM to make Park Ridge one of the safest towns to live in.”
She explained, “I want to see Mill Pond dredged, so it can serve as a recreational and educational facility.”
And she said “I want to continue to use Open Space funds to purchase undeveloped properties, not only to curb overdevelopment, but to use for recreation.”
Ultimately, she said, “I want Park Ridge to continue to be a town where families come to raise their children feeling safe, connected, and included.”
Challengers make their case
The two Republican challengers, Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman. replied via a campaign flier, forwarded by campaign treasurer William R. Fenwick. (Fenwick was on the primary ballot in June but withdrew and was replaced by Greg Hoffman.)
“Dear friends and neighbors, We are both decades-long residents of Park Ridge. Bruce is a U.S. Navy and Army veteran, local business owner [Goldsmith Studios Inc.] and prior director of PKRG-TV. Greg is an attorney and former investigator for the public defender’s office. We are running for Borough Council to ensure that our local government works for everyone.”
They continued, “We oppose municipal tax breaks for developers, unlike our Democratic Party opponents who allowed this while they raised your taxes. Our municipal taxes must be used to improve the lives of residents, not the profits of developers. We support giving power over the school board back to Park Ridge’s parents by re-instituting annual school budget referendums.”
They said, “We oppose the relentless municipal property tax increases that our opponents have voted for year after year. We promise to bring fiscal responsibility to the borough’s budget by stabilizing taxes and spending.”
Goldsmith and Hoffman added, “We will work to increase the council’s transparency. We will ensure that all videos of council meetings are made available on the borough website.”
They said they would “work to increase direct communication between the borough and our residents. Local government is most effective when it stays accountable to residents; transparency will ensure this accountability.”
Registered voters break down as 2,151 Democrats, 2,205 Republicans, and 2,923 unaffiliated voters, said the county clerk’s office. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.