December 24, 2008 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3
Wyckoff Fiorenzo forecast as township’s mayor for 2009
David Connolly, who served two years
ago, and Alnor, who will almost certainly
step down after his first term as mayor in
2008, are ruled out by their proximity to
the mayor’s chair. Committeeman Harold
Galenkamp is retiring on Jan. 1, and Com-
mitteeman Rudy Boonstra, while an expe-
rienced member of the board of adjustment
and two boards of education, has been on
the township committee for less than a
year. Brian Scanlan, the first Democrat
elected to the governing body in at least 30
Joseph Fiorenzo
by John Koster
The vote will not be official until high
noon on Jan. 1, but informed sources pre-
dict that Wyckoff’s mayor for 2009 will
Joseph Fiorenzo, who has served one previ-
ous term as mayor.
Fiorenzo, an attorney in private practice
and a graduate of Rutgers University and
Rutgers Law School, is seen as the logical
successor to Mayor Rick Alnor by informed
sources because he is the least recent town-
ship committee veteran to serve as Wyck-
off’s chief elected official.
years, will not join the committee until Jan.
1, making his appointment in 2009 even
more unlikely.
Noted for his eloquence and ability to
sum up complicated issues in comprehen-
sible terms. Fiorenzo, with Galenkamp,
helped negotiate the compromise that elim-
inated large-scale residential development
at the Boulder Run shopping center, and is
known for his defense of the rights of local
communities to control their own destiny
without undue state interference.
Township police chief
announces retirement
The Wyckoff Township Committee
has accepted the 2009 retirement of Police
Chief John Ydo with great regret at last
week’s public meeting.
Chief Ydo, who has 35 years of service,
will be leaving the force on June 1, 2009.
Captain Ken Hagedorn will also be retir-
ing shortly and no new chief has yet been
selected to replace Ydo.
A pre-med student before he vectored
into law enforcement, fluent in Dutch and
English, and a formidable physical and
intellectual presence with a subtle sense of
humor, Chief Ydo served at the county level
in many task forces where his knowledge
of forensics, criminology, and the scientific
aspects of law enforcement were consid-
ered extremely valuable. The father of four,
he was also active in his church.
“Chief Ydo took law enforcement to
the highest level of professionalism,” said
Township Committeman David Connolly
last week. “He’s one of the best chiefs in
the country, and it’s a source of great pride
to Wyckoff having him work here. His high
regard for safety was one of the reasons for
the top AAA Safety Awards we have won
over so many past years. We’ll be able to
find a replacement, of course, but nobody
is ever going to follow in his footsteps. He’s
the best.”
J. KOSTER
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