WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno did the honors and administered the oath of office to Republican Mayor Carlos Rendo Jan. 6 to begin his second term as mayor.
Rendo had served as Guadagno’s lieutenant governor candidate during the 2017 election campaign.
Rendo was sworn in after defeating Democratic Council President and challenger Jacqueline Gadaleta 1,150 votes to 914 votes on Nov. 5.
Rendo spent part of his term running for New Jersey lieutenant governor in 2017 along with running mate and gubernatorial candidate Guadagno, who served as lieutenant governor under two-term Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Both Guadagno and Rendo lost to current Gov. Phil Murphy and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver in 2017.
Gadaleta, who is serving her third consecutive term, remains on the council; her term expires Dec. 31, 2021.
Unsettled lawsuits and development concerns have roiled local meetings and social media lately, including two lawsuits brought in 2019 against the borough.
Both suits allege discrimination against a local Jewish organization. One suit was brought by Valley Chabad, the organization alleging discrimination and the other by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The suits allege the borough put up obstacles to Valley Chabad’s expansion within town. Both suits are yet to come to trial.
Moreover, concerns about development along Broadway corridor and planned creation of a park at a now-cleared garden center site—formerly Galaxy Gardens—have caused divisions between the mayor and council members.
Soil at the site will be “blended” to minimize contamination found due to pesticides that had been used there.
Rendo said the borough faces “real challenges” in 2020 including lack of property tax relief from the state, elimination of a 2% cap on school district budgets, unfunded mandates, and the “social experiments” like affordable housing “our suburban districts will be pushed to the brink.”
Rendo said to help control local costs over $2.1 million in grant funds has been received by the borough, municipal tax appeals have been “dramatically” reduced, and short-term debt has been refinanced “to take advantage of low-interest rates.”
“It is our belief to run a tight ship and we will,” he added.
Rendo said he campaigned on what he termed “Rendo Vision” an outlook formed by talking with residents. He said the borough’s future includes a park at Galaxy Gardens and opening of a walking trail around the reservoir this year.
‘Create camaraderie’
“Our vision is to bring our community together to create camaraderie and understanding,” he said. This can be done with more community events, he said.
Rendo said he plans to bring an international food and wine festival, and an international film and picture festival to the borough. In addition, efforts to highlight the arts and put a high-end restaurant at the barn overlooking the walking trails to open by Woodcliff Lake are future goals, he said.
Rendo said “as public officials we have a duty to eradicate anti-Semitism, hate and discrimination. The events of the past year have strengthened our resolve to defeat hate—through education and understanding we will win,” he added.
He said working with the Pascack Valley Mayors Association and local clergy “we will take the lead to tackle these difficult issues.”
He said he was not satisfied with a No. 7 statewide ranking for the borough and would work to improve it.
Rendo cited the annual Spring Blossom Festival—held in 2018 and 2019 in honor of former resident Alyssa Alhadeff, a teen who died in the Parkland, Fla. high school shotting—as a major accomplishments during his first term.
Incumbent Councilwoman Angela Hayes, who prevailed in her reelection effort, was sworn in after tallying 1,047 votes as was newcomer Republican Stephen Falanga with 1,058 votes.
Guadagno also swore in Falanga, who was a Republican running mate with Rendo and Jennifer Howard.
Hayes was sworn in by Borough Attorney John Schettino.