PASCACK VALLEY—With Montvale holding its annual Borough Council reorganization meeting at noon on Sunday, Jan. 2, other Pascack Valley towns hold reorg meetings Monday and Tuesday, with a majority choosing Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 to introduce new members and welcome back victorious incumbents.
Some towns mix in a year-ending sine die (Latin for conclusion of a meeting), while others simply introduce the new members and kick off the New Year with a mostly congratulatory and ceremonial session generally featuring a limited agenda.
Refer to municipal websites to confirm whether proceedings are being broadcast via Zoom, YouTube, or a community access channel. Most events are in-person only.
Montvale welcomes back incumbent Republican council members Dieter Koelling and Annmarie Russo-Vogelsang, who were reelected over a lone Democratic challenger, Steven A. Frischer. The reorg meeting is in-person only.
On Monday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m., the Township of Washington’s reorganization meeting features Republican Mayor Peter Calamari swearing in for a second term, along with running mate and returning councilman Thomas Sears, and newcomer Daisy Velez.
They bested a team of Independent challengers: councilman Michael DeSena and running mates Kevin Zitko and Michael Werfel.
On Tuesday, Jan. 4, reorganization meetings occur in Emerson, Hillsdale, Park Ridge, River Vale and Westwood.
In Emerson, the Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m. reorg meeting welcomes back incumbent Republican Brian Gordon and newcomer Kelly Moore, who defeated Democratic challengers Kate Stutzel and Michael DeOrio.
In Hillsdale, the Jan. 4 meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. for sine die and reorg starts at 7 p.m. The reorg meeting welcomes back Republican incumbents John Escobar and Council President Abby Lundy, who ran uncontested in the Nov. 2 General Election.
In Park Ridge, the Jan. 4 meeting at Borough Hall begins at 6 p.m. for sine die, and the reorg meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. On Nov. 2, 2021 incumbent Democrat councilmen Matthew Capilli and John Ferguson were reelected in an uncontested election.
In River Vale, the Jan. 4 reorg meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. No mayor or council races occurred this year. Borough Clerk Karen Campanelli said there would be no sine die meeting. The meeting will be in-person only.
In Westwood, the Jan. 4 sine die/reorg meeting will be in Borough Hall, not the Community Center as originally advertised, said borough clerk Karen Hughes. The sine die meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and reorg meeting at 7.
In a super-close race for a pair of three-year council seats, incumbent Cheryl Hodges, a Republican, easily won reelection while incumbent Jodi Murphy, a Democrat, narrowly lost her first re-election bid to Republican Anthony Greco — by eight votes, at first, and nine following a recount.
In Woodcliff Lake, the sine die/reorg meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. via the Zoom platform. On Nov. 2, Democratic newcomer Jennifer Margolis and Democratic incumbent Jacqueline Gadaleta defeated Republican challengers Michael Casale and Dianna Cereijo.
For complete 2021 election coverage, see our website.