HILLSDALE—Borough voters will have a choice among at least three options for mayor come the General Election Nov. 7, and one of those options will not appear on the ballot.
Incumbent Republican councilman Anthony DeRosa, a longtime councilman and current council president, is running for mayor, a slot occupied for two terms by outgoing Republican Mayor John Ruocco.
DeRosa became a mayoral candidate after declared candidate Frank Pizzella, a longtime former councilman much identified with borough redevelopment, dropped out of the race citing personal reasons.
Facing off against DeRosa is Democrat Michael Sheinfield, a 10-year resident, who worked recently as a Bergen County Commissioners spokesperson, and ran in a 2017 special election to replace Mayor Doug Frank.
Running for mayor but not on the ballot is incumbent councilman Zoltán Horváth, who was passed over by the Republican County Committee, and is mounting a personal choice write-in campaign.
The Democratic candidates
“It’s time to stop the dysfunction at Borough Hall. The council and mayor have been openly hostile to one another for far too long. We’re facing numerous issues that will impact the taxes we pay, and our quality of life. We’re on our third B.A. in two years, and looking for a permanent CFO. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results,” Sheinfield told Pascack Press.
Prior to moving to Bergen County 14 years ago, Sheinfield worked in corporate communications for private companies as well as in public relations. He currently serves as a government and community relations manager for a utilities authority.
“We should be making progress on ratables, business development, exploring shared service agreements with the county. We should be applying for federal, state, and county grants. We need a chamber of commerce. These are only some of the things we need to be doing. Instead, the mayor and council fight, and we the residents suffer for it,” Sheinfield told us.
Sheinfield is joined by Democratic running mates Meredith J. Kates and Steven Segalas.
Kates is a STEM educator and a consultant on Problem Based Learning who has served Hillsdale since 2010. She is the vice-chair, and a 12-year member, of the Zoning and Planning Board, and chair of the Hillsdale Environmental Commission.
Segalas, a resident for more than 30 years, served on the Hillsdale Borough Council and practices law in town.
A campaign flier promoting them notes three key issues: effective local government; accountability in local government; and transparency and respect in local government.
This includes taking advantage of shared-service and cost-sharing opportunities; installing electric vehicle charging stations downtown; enrolling in the county’s high-speed, low-cost internet service; and helping seniors, property owners and renters take advantage of state property tax rebate programs.
Segalas was a Republican councilman, 2017–2019, who was not selected by the Republican County Committee for reelection. He ran unsuccessfully in 2020 with Chris Camp after switching to the Democratic Party, and now seeks election as a Democrat.
He told us, “There is always a delicate balance between delivering services and keeping property taxes in line. Our campaign is all about finding creative ways to expand services while reducing costs for our residents.”
He said the campaign estimates that adding the borough to the county’s fiber ring can save the schools over $200,000 annually, plus additional savings for municipal buildings. He said other state programs exist to install EV charging stations at low cost that will generate revenue for the borough.
“We need to stop the infighting in Borough Hall and do what’s right for our residents. Let’s move Hillsdale forward together,” he added, citing the campaign’s slogan.
Kates, a nearly 20-year resident, noted several areas of advocacy behind years of volunteerism on local land use and environmental boards. She said she has pressed for “sound engineering solutions for stormwater control” to address local flooding concerns.
Also, she favors “strengthening of economic and commercial vitality in the community” by offering a digital marketplace to highlight local enterprises, and events to support local shopkeepers.
Kates said she wants to “ensure that representatives fulfill their responsibilities to address the feedback of residents…Minimize current bureaucratic roadblocks and prioritize the support necessary to launch new cost effective programs, events and services benefiting the community.”
The Republican candidates
Republican mayoral candidate Anthony DeRosa, a decade-long council member and incumbent council president, told us, “Those who know and have worked with me will probably say that I’m level-headed and not prone to knee-jerk reactions and that I listen to all sides of an issue in order to make an informed decision. I try to be a voice of reason in what can sometimes be contentious situations. I believe my management style would serve the residents well as mayor.”
DeRosa, a 45-year resident, noted, “I feel one of the biggest challenges facing Hillsdale is the ability to deliver substantive, tangible results while keeping taxes in check. Over the past five years, we’ve been able to keep tax increases at an average of 2%, while delivering better town services, removing a garbage dump that will yield $30 million in revenue for the borough, improved recreational facilities, and secured equipment and programs to help make Hillsdale a safer place to live.”
DeRosa has served as a council liaison to local and regional school boards, recreational commission, and Hillsdale Volunteer Ambulance Service.
“I believe Hillsdale is on the verge of significant improvements – improvements that will increase safety, revitalize our downtown and bring new recreational facilities for residents of all ages. I have helped lay the foundation for those improvements and, with your support, I’d like to continue the progress for you and your family,” DeRosa said.
Ruocco is giving up the gavel to run for council and remain an “independent voice” for the community.
“I am running for a council seat rather than for a third mayoral term because of changes made by the council majority that curtailed the mayor’s normal access to information and his ability to participate in committee discussions,” Ruocco told us.
“No other borough handicaps its mayor in this fashion. The public needs a proven independent voice on council who will be on committees and speak out on matters of importance to our taxpayers. This does not currently exist,” he said.
Ruocco, along with council ally Horváth, has pressed to make so-called “advisory, consultative and deliberative” or draft documents, available to the public when council votes or decisions are imminent. However, state open public records law allows them to be withheld from the public as “draft” documents until an official vote is taken.
Ruocco believes this non-disclosure violates the spirit of the Open Public Records Act to provide public transparency.
Ruocco adds, “To keep Hillsdale attractive and affordable, we must elect officials with business and financial experience who are brave, non-partisan representatives, willing to oppose major expenditures that either do not make sense or have not been fully vetted.”
Republican newcomer Clemente Osso, a 13-year resident, told us, “I consider myself moderate in terms of my views while being fiscally conservative; and believe investing in our capabilities, revitalizing our neighborhoods and maintaining our infrastructure all while embracing new technology vital to our continued progress.”
Osso is a partner in a local restaurant and has over 25 years of management experience in finance and IT with small and multinational companies. “I am committed to seeing our town stay vibrant. I am very thankful for being able to call Hillsdale home; the town has a lot to offer,” Osso said.
“About a year ago I was asked if I had any interest in becoming a member of the Hillsdale town council. And after giving it some thought, I decided that at this point in my life I have the time to put in the effort that I feel necessary to become an effective, responsible, well informed voice in our local government,” he said.
Horváth: Mayoral candidate not on ballot
The one Republican candidate who will not appear on the ballot is current councilman Zoltán Horváth, who was not chosen to run for reelection by the Republican County Committee this year.
However, Horváth has decided to run as a personal choice, write-in candidate for mayor, challenging both Sheinfield and DeRosa.
Horváth, after trying to run as a write-in candidate for mayor on the Republican line, and losing to Frank Pizzella, then filed to run as an Independent candidate for mayor.
However, after several Republicans petitioned to have him disqualified from running as an Independent under the state’s Sore Loser Law, Bergen County Clerk John Hogan declared his Independent candidacy invalid.
Hogan said Horváth could not run as an Independent candidate for mayor due to his running as a Republican write-in candidate for mayor in the primary and losing. He said this was a violation of the state’s Sore Loser Law, preventing candidates from changing parties after a loss.
Horváth, a 34-year resident, told us he “will continue to fight against unnecessary property tax hikes and frivolous council majority spending.” He has served on the council since 2017, previously as president, including council liaison to the planning and zoning boards, and on over a dozen advisory committees addressing senior issues, community development, and veterans.
Editor’s note: This version of the story contains corrections not reflected in the original, print edition.