PASCACK VALLEY—Five council elections are contested on Nov. 5 in the Pascack Valley, with Republicans and Democrats competing for seats on the dais. Here’s a rundown of the candidates and their views in—feel free to jump ahead—Emerson, Hillsdale, and Park Ridge.
Other towns with contested races include Westwood and Woodcliff Lake, which will be featured in a separate article. Uncontested council races are set for Montvale and River Vale; Washington Township has no council races this November.
Emerson
Two open seats are sought by new Republican candidates Ashley Sayers and Megan Ciolino. Sayers recently replaced councilwoman Kelly Moore, who resigned; Ciolino is running in place of Brian Gordon, who opted not to seek reelection. Opposing them are Democratic candidates Richard Dinallo and Kate Stutzel.
We asked the candidates for their thoughts on the long-delayed Emerson Station project and the borough’s lawsuit against the redeveloper, how they plan to address local flooding, and what concerns they would focus on if elected.
Sayers and Ciolino responded jointly. On Emerson Station, they said: “The downtown project is an example of why you don’t rush vanity development projects through at the last minute. It’s clear that the developer has been in financial distress, proving that those who opposed the project were correct.”
On flooding, they stated, “We support the current administration’s approach to addressing the decades-long flooding issues by working with our legislators to secure funding, replacing aging infrastructure, coordinating with surrounding towns, and planning for the future.”
Their priorities for the upcoming term include “maintaining a responsible tax rate to keep Emerson affordable; finding ways to cut costs while maintaining the quality of life; streamlining permitting and applications processes to make it easier to conduct business with the borough; and expanding community programming to bring families together,” they said.
“We chose to raise our families here and want to ensure Emerson remains the gem of the Pascack Valley,” they added.
Democratic challengers Kate Stutzel and Richard Dinallo responded separately.
Stutzel criticized the handling of Emerson’s legal fees, stating, “Taxpayers have never been given a full overview of our case against the redeveloper. The current administration hides behind ‘pending litigation’ and keeps spending. Residents deserve answers, and I intend to get some.”
Regarding flooding, she said, “Extreme weather is becoming the new normal. U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer recently obtained funds to address hot spots in Emerson, and I will continue that work.”
Stutzel also emphasized “good governing” and “clear communication,” stating, “Rich (Dinallo) and I will bring active engagement and pointed questioning back to the dais. We deserve transparency on stalled capital projects like Borough Hall and the firehouse elevator.”
Dinallo told us, regarding Emerson Station, “There comes a point when you must stop looking for blame and start looking for a solution. Information is sparse, and we only know what is read in the newspapers. We have too many rumors concerning this building. As a community, we need to learn more of the facts. All of Emerson would like this project expedited.”
On the lawsuits, he said, “You cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube. Therefore, I assume the lawsuits must go through the system, and let the court decide. I would like the lawsuits to stop causing delays.”
Dinallo added, “Flooding is only one type of problem nature can cause. Training emergency personnel for all types of disasters is a major step the town can take. We need stronger interaction with mutual aid services. Neighboring towns are relatively close; shared services seem to be an obvious solution.”
He concluded by saying, “The two-party system works. It is the intention of my running mate, Kate, and me to bring another point of view to the council—not adversarial, but in a sincere effort to resolve problems.”
Dinallo also stated, “Emerson’s tax increases have been too high over the past few years. I understand that in a flourishing economy, costs will increase (wages, utilities, etc.). However, I am sure the increases can be minimized. We would like to help lower the increases.”
For more information, residents can visit the candidates’ website or Facebook page.
Hillsdale
In Hillsdale, two Republicans, incumbent Council President John Escobar and newly appointed councilman Robert Colletti Jr., are seeking re-election. Colletti was appointed to fill Abby Lundy’s unexpired term, following her resignation after facing felony and misdemeanor charges in Connecticut.
Opposing them are Democratic candidates Christopher C. Camp and Melissa S. Mazza-Chiong.
We asked the candidates for their views on upgrades to Memorial and Centennial Fields, the progress of the Patterson Street redevelopment, and their priorities if elected.
Colletti, a long-time coach, supports field improvements: “Investing in fields is essential, provided the plan includes long-term maintenance to protect that investment,” he said. On Patterson Street redevelopment, he highlighted its potential to provide “much-needed tax relief” and emphasized the importance of community input.
If elected, Colletti said he aims to “be a voice for all in Hillsdale, work with stakeholders on redeveloping downtown, and ensure local sports programs are involved in finalizing field repairs.”
Council President John Escobar, a councilman since 2019, said of field improvements, “Upgrading our fields has always been a priority. Despite setbacks, we’re finalizing plans for Memorial Field and will soon upgrade Centennial Field.”
On Patterson Street, Escobar noted, “Smart redevelopment is essential. We’ve stabilized taxes and removed a garbage dump from downtown.”
Escobar’s priorities include “completing field upgrades, working on a plan to regionalize our Ambulance Corps, and revitalizing our downtown area.”
Democratic challenger Melissa S. Mazza-Chiong supports field upgrades but emphasizes the need for transparency: “It’s vital to keep residents informed. Transparency ensures taxpayer dollars are used responsibly,” she said. On Patterson Street, she advocated for a fully accessible community center with programming for all, especially youth and seniors.
Running mate Christopher C. Camp questioned the handling of past field funding: “Three years ago, taxes were raised for upgrades, but many are questioning where that money went. Transparency is key,” he said. Regarding the redevelopment, he stressed the importance of maintaining momentum to avoid costly changes.
If elected, Mazza-Chiong and Camp said their priorities include “replacing rumors with facts through open communication”; proposing a regional flooding summit on best practices; and ensuring accountability by keeping elected officials engaged and responsive to residents’ needs.
Park Ridge
In Park Ridge, two open seats are being sought by Democrats, including incumbent Democratic Council President John P. Ferguson and newcomer Jason P. Destro. Challenging them are former Republican councilmembers William R. Fenwick and John M. Cozzi.
Nov. 5, 2024
We asked the candidates what should be done at Mill Pond/Electric Lake dam to improve water quality and restore storage capacity; whether Park Ridge needs a new community center; and what topics they would address if elected or re-elected to the council.
Ferguson said, “Currently, the pond is filled with large amounts of sediment buildup and non-decomposable debris, leading to the nonexistence of wildlife. We would need to dredge 16 feet to hit the bedrock. Last year, we received a Mill Pond Dredging Grant of $1.5 million, which provides for some of the engineering and construction costs associated with the dredging of the pond, which we have started.”
Ferguson claimed the $1.5 million grant has helped make the dredging project “shovel-ready,” while the borough continues to apply for about $12 million in project grant funding.
Ferguson said he was committed to building a new community center but “in a responsible manner, addressing projects based on priority.” He said a $3.4 million federal grant was obtained to upgrade water filtration systems that remove PFAS chemicals.
“We already have the design and past cost estimates for the community center and are in the process of obtaining updated estimates. Those will need to be evaluated, and the possibility of making it a public-private partnership, as well as exploring other available funding sources, should be considered,” he told us. (See “Looking at revised costs for a rec center next to The James,” Michael Olohan, March 10, 2024, thepressgroup.net.)
Editor’s note: Ferguson’s comment appeared to us to be the first public mention that a potential public-private partnership for the community center was a possibility.
Other topics he aims to address in a new term include maintaining a low municipal tax rate, fighting overdevelopment, and improving public safety. To keep tax rates low, Ferguson cited shared-service agreements and cooperative purchasing contracts to ensure best pricing.
He said to fight overdevelopment, the borough received nearly $500,000 in state Green Acres funds, plus $92,000 in county Open Space funds for passive recreation. He added, “We are also doing a vacant land analysis study to demonstrate the lack of open space for further massive developments.”
He said hiring more police officers, lowering the Park Avenue speed limit to 25 mph, and a shared-service agreement with the school board to hire three special law enforcement officers in schools have improved public safety. He pledged to continue working “to make sure Park Ridge remains a safe community to raise our children.”
Destro did not reply to our three questions before press time. Ferguson said his replies also reflected Destro’s opinions.
However, in an email, Destro told us, “Now that my children are older, I would like to devote more time to the town that has given me so much. I am ready to promote economic growth, invest in services for seniors and veterans, and cut unreasonable regulations to help local businesses thrive. I want to explore the possibility of additional park improvements here in our community and work to safeguard our community from overdevelopment.”
Republican challengers William Fenwick and John Cozzi, both former councilmembers, answered the questions as a ticket. They noted Park Ridge voters rejected a non-binding $15 million referendum question to dredge Mill Pond last November and said they had worked with a Republican state senator and assembly members to obtain a $1.5 million grant to help with pond dredging costs.
“We believe that additional opportunities exist to work with federal, state, and other local authorities to obtain further financing so that Mill Pond can be dredged without putting the entirety of the cost on the backs of our residents,” the candidates said.
As for building a new community center, they said they supported “working with our neighboring towns to secure use agreements, so our residents can access neighboring community centers (that often go unused) without having to foot the massive bill for construction of a new facility in Park Ridge.”
They estimated a new community center to cost $8 million to $10 million, which would require a tax increase, noting “the massive cost is a far cry from the Democrats’ original promise that the community center would be paid for by the developer of The James.”
Opened for leasing in summer 2021, The James is a 240-unit luxury residential-retail complex at 87 Madison Ave., which dominates downtown Park Ridge.
The Republican team said they had seven topics to focus on if elected, including providing tax relief to residents, opposing overdevelopment, keeping Park Ridge’s water clean, stopping tax breaks for developers, continuing to pave local streets, increasing public safety, and restoring transparency to the Borough Council.