PASCACK VALLEY—Contested council races in five Pascack Valley towns on Nov. 5 showed Republican candidates elected or reelected, while a couple of Democratic challengers appeared to take or reclaim seats: one newly elected to the council in Hillsdale and one reelected in Woodcliff Lake.
Although election results are unofficial totals released by the Bergen County Clerk’s office, official election numbers will be updated as final vote-by-mail ballots (postmarked by 8 p.m., Nov. 5) arrive, and final provisional ballots will also be counted. Election results can be found in summary form and broken down by voting district on the county clerk’s website.
In Hillsdale, two incumbent Republicans faced off against two Democratic challengers for two open council seats. Democrat Melissa S. Mazza Chiong appeared to top all candidates with 3,027 votes, while newly installed Councilman Robert Colletti Jr. garnered 2,948 votes.
Democratic challenger Christopher Camp placed third with 2,852 votes, and incumbent John Escobar, council president, grabbed 2,703 votes. Colletti replaced Councilwoman Abby Lundy, who resigned in August following her arrest on embezzlement and forgery charges in her role as a financial officer for a Connecticut nonprofit.
In uncontested school contests, Gia C. Guzman grabbed 3,903 votes to retain her Pascack Valley Regional High School BOE seat, and local trustees Justin Saxon (3,069 votes) and Kevin Donatello (2,966 votes) will return as school board members.
Of 8,673 Hillsdale voters, 6,263 voted Nov. 5, for a 72.21% turnout.
In Woodcliff Lake, two council seats were up for grabs, contested by two Republican newcomers, Democratic incumbent Councilwoman Jennifer Margolis, and a Democratic newcomer.
In unofficial results released by the Bergen County Clerk’s Office, it appeared Republican Christopher Bonanno, with 1,815 votes (25.89%), and incumbent Margolis, with 1,810 votes (25.82%), won the two open seats.
Republican newcomer Morgan Mazor tallied 1,788 votes (25.51%), and Democratic newcomer Brian J. Magrogan grabbed 1,597 votes (22.78%).
Moreover, voters narrowly defeated a local school district public question, 52% to 48%, to spend $180,000 annually to hire two special law enforcement officers at the elementary and middle schools. If approved, the public question would have added $180,000 permanently to the annual school budget, officials said.
Overall, 3,679 of the borough’s 5,129 voters went to the polls Nov. 5, a 71.73% turnout.
In a contested council race in Emerson, two Republicans took the two open council seats. Incumbent Republican Councilwoman Ashley Sayers, the top vote-getter, was reelected with 2,254 votes (27.72%), and Republican newcomer Megan Ciolino garnered 2,244 votes (27.59%).
Democratic challenger Richard Dinallo drew 1,826 votes, and running mate Kate Stutzel had 1,808 votes. Of Emerson’s 5,826 registered voters, 4,362 voted, or 74.87%. Behrooz Pasdar (2,868 votes) ran unopposed for the local school board.
In Park Ridge, two Republican former councilmen, who lost the last council race to Democratic challengers, were reelected to council. Former Councilors John M. Cozzi, with 2,819 votes (27.99%), and William R. Fenwick, with 2,787 votes (27.57%), bested incumbent Democratic Council President John Ferguson, with 2,341 votes, and Democratic newcomer Jason P. Destro, with 2,163 votes.
In a contested school board race with three candidates vying for two open seats, incumbent David Bradler, with 2,428 votes, and newcomer Christopher A. Amitrano, with 2,409 votes, were the top vote-getters. David Shelton Hollers Jr. grabbed 2,086 votes.
Amitrano did not respond to Pascack Press candidate outreach and questions and was a no-show at a recent candidates’ night despite “multiple invitations” to appear in person, said the hosts on the PKRG-TV broadcast.
In Westwood, Republican incumbents Cheryl L. Hodges and Anthony J. Greco claimed the two open council seats, with Hodges getting 3,121 votes (26.83%) and Greco getting 3,011 votes (25.89%).
Democratic challengers Kristian S. Rasmussen grabbed 2,722 votes (23.4%) and Lisa Bontemps received 2,777 votes (23.88%). Of 8,697 registered voters, 6,258 voted on Nov. 5, a 71.96% turnout.
Two uncontested candidates for two Westwood seats on the K-12 Westwood Regional Board of Education were Carole Mountain, with 3,239 votes, and Andrea Peck, with 2,959 votes.
In Montvale, Zaheera Khan (2,075 votes) and Christopher Colla (1,768 votes) won two open seats in a contested school board race, with Ernie J. DiFiore grabbing 1,692 votes.
The uncontested council race saw incumbents AnnMarie Russovogelsang tally 3,038 votes, and Dieter K. Koelling received 2,992 votes. Of Montvale’s 7,440 registered voters, 5,118 voted on Nov. 5, a 68.79% turnout.
In River Vale, a contested race for one seat on the Pascack Valley Regional High School Board of Education saw Kathleen “Katie” Keller (3,297 votes) top Eli Moallem (1,952 votes). Three uncontested Republican incumbent councilors—Ari Ben-Yishay, Paul Criscuolo, and John P. Donovan—garnered 3,477, 3,530, and 3,466 votes, respectively. The councilors did not reply to Pascack Press questions on deer overpopulation and the Public Safety Complex.
In an uncontested race, local BOE incumbents Cheryl Berkowitz and Arthur W. White were reelected with 3,703 and 2,176 votes, respectively.
In Township of Washington, uncontested Westwood Regional School Board candidate Jorge Pertuz drew 3,781 votes. The township had no council races.