Make-up of Governing Body remains the same with GOP retaining a 4-2 majority over Democrats.
High hopes for Mayor-elect Dan Pronti
Councilman Dan Pronti, the former council president who many believed was initially behind the independent candidacy of Lillian Saldanha will assume the office of mayor from acting Mayor Allison Sheedy, the first female ever to serve in that capacity after the passing of the late Joseph Bianchi.
North Arlington voters opted for consistency rather than change in 2018 when they reelected incumbents Sheedy and Fitzhenry and electing Pronti to succeed Bianchi who past just weeks before the election.
A retired police officer, homeowner, husband, dad and real estate agent, Pronti is a popular local official who has now won public office four times since 2013.
Local Republicans went to court and were able to replace Bianchi with the popular Pronti despite procedural errors that were made in the replacement process regarding the fulfilling of vacancies on the ballot.
This year, the first order of business will be to fill the unexpired term of Pronti on the Mayor and Council.
Sources indicate former GOP candidate Kirk Del Russo will fulfill the remainder of the term until the 2019 general election.
Each political party will nominate three candidates come the spring, with one candidate nominated to fulfill the final year of Pronti’s three-year term.
Pronti was originally elected fill the vacancy of former Democratic councilman Steve Tanelli, who was elected to the Bergen County Board of Freeholders in November of 2012.
Pronti was elected in 2013, and reelected in 2014 to a full, three-year term and then reelected for a second time in 2017 by wide margins.
He defeated Democratic Councilman Mark Yampaglia and two independents with 52% of the vote in the first four-way race in borough history for mayor that was abbreviated due to Bianchi’s passing.
Pronti ran on continuing the policies of Bianchi and closely connected his effort to Bianchi’s memory as a fellow Republican despite being fairly distant from the GOP effort until the vacancy came to pass.
Democrat Yampaglia temporarily suspended his campaign and received positive feedback from Democrats and Republicans alike for putting politics aside during the mourning period of the former mayor.
Yampaglia, the ranking member of the Borough Council ran with newcomer Josie Papile, a retired CFO and NAHS graduate and former school trustee, councilman, mayor and retired NAPD police sergeant Peter Massa, a commissioner with the Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA).
A life-long resident, Yampaglia is a graduate of NAHS and attorney with a local practice in Rutherford.
Appointed twice to the council and elected in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2016, Yampaglia is a former public defender for North Arlington.
Independent mayoral hopeful Lillian Saldanha raised a healthy sum of money despite running as a first-time candidate with no running-mates.
Most observers believe she has a future in local politics.
“She is an attractive candidate with roots in the community and won a good amount of support despite the odds. Both political parties would be happy to have her in their camp,” said one local observer when asked to comment.
The fourth candidate had zero impact on the race with no running-mates and no semblance of any support, finishing last by landslide proportions.
Two Democratic seats will be up in 2019 giving the NA Republicans the opportunity to sweep the entire council and end responsible, two-party government.
On the other hand, Democrats can make a comeback and with a win and even the council at 3-3 with Pronti presiding as mayor.
“The good news about North Arlington is that there is an election every year giving voters the opportunity to evaluate the progress of the Mayor and Council and determining should they be replaced or reelected unlike neighboring Lyndhurst where municipal elections are held once every four years in May and voters don’t select the mayor. Here in North Arlington we have a directly elected mayor versus an appointed chief executive amongst the four township commissioners,” noted one local political observer.
While NA Republicans enjoy a majority locally, they must contend with the reality Democrats control county government, the state legislature, the Governor’s office, both US Senate seats and 10 of the 11 seats in Congress.
Rep. Pascrell represents North Arlington in Washington, DC.
For more information about the reorganization of North Arlington’s government, contact Borough Hall at (201) 991-6060 or www.northarlington.org