PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Two Republican candidates were recently nominated for two council seats up for election Nov. 3, said local Republican officials.
Selected by the local Republican County Committee were Marc Weinberg and Sebastian Hennessy, whose names replaced those of councilors William Fenwick and Greg Hoffman, who had served as “placeholders” while the committee vetted potential council candidates.
Fenwick said another candidate was initially interested but dropped from consideration during the county committee’s selection process.
The Republican challengers will face incumbent Democratic councilors Michael Mintz and Robert Metzdorf.
The Republicans in “Our Plan for Park Ridge” call for better oversight of the water utility to ensure clean drinking water, along with tax breaks for residents but not for The James mixed-use residential development. (The James received a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement before opening in August 2021.)
The candidates’ plan also says they will protect the borough “from runaway overdevelopment” and push back against the state’s attempts to limit local zoning authority. It calls for increasing support for senior programs and improving local sports fields.
Marc Weinberg is a member of the local Planning Board. He and his wife of nearly 20 years have three grown children who attended local schools. While his children were in school, Weinberg also coached recreational baseball and soccer.
Weinberg has more than 35 years of business and executive leadership experience. His career is centered on leading organizations, managing financial responsibilities, developing teams and driving accountability, according to his campaign flyer.
Sebastian Hennessy is a husband and father of three young children with more than a decade of experience in the insurance industry, where his career has focused on leadership, risk management and helping organizations navigate complex decisions, according to his candidate biography. Hennessy volunteered with Read Ahead, focusing on youth literacy and mentorship.
Residents with questions or concerns for the candidates can email them at PreserveParkRidge@gmail.com.
Metzdorf, a 30-year resident, has served nine years on the council. Before that, he served on the Planning Board and coached football, basketball and baseball. While on the council, he served as president, police commissioner, Utility Board liaison, senior citizen liaison, DARE liaison, public safety liaison, Golden Age Club liaison and Tri-Boro Food Pantry liaison. Metzdorf is the father of two children raised in Park Ridge.
Mintz, a 28-year resident, has served six years on the council. Before that, he served on the library board, Utility Board, pool commission and Zoning Board. “It’s important to mention this because our citizens need people who have a track record of actually doing something,” Mintz told us.
Mintz said he was also senior citizen liaison during the COVID pandemic, helping seniors and helping provide food to first responders. He also served as wrestling commissioner and secretary to the Twin County Wrestling League. Mintz is the father of three children raised in Park Ridge.
Their “Experience for Park Ridge” platform focuses on property taxes, quality of life and public safety. In bold type under Property Taxes, the flyer reads, “Rob and Mike voted against the 2026 tax increase.”
Local officials said the 2026 municipal tax levy, including the library, increased 2.6% over 2025. For a home assessed at the borough average of $475,000, the annual increase was $95—$86 for municipal purposes and $9 for the library. The total municipal budget was nearly $19 million.