June 10, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Franklin Lakes Bivona and Smith win Republican primary by Frank J. McMahon Republican Franklin Lakes Council candidates Frank Bivona and William Smith defeated incumbent Republican Brian Trava and his running mate, Thomas Murphy, in last week’s primary election by a margin of almost two to one. Twenty-three percent of the borough’s 7,559 registered voters turned out, and Bivona and Smith received 1,017 and 1,008 votes, respectively, while Trava and Murphy received 526 and 485 votes, respectively. Bivona and Smith, the former borough attorney who was terminated by Mayor Maura DeNicola last year, were supported by the borough’s Republican Club. Trava and Murphy were supported by DeNicola and the Republican Forum, as well as the Bergen County Republican Organization chaired by Robert Yudin. The results of the primary assure Bivona and Smith of election to the borough council in November’s general election because there will be no Democratic or Independent candidates for the council in that election. Smith and Bivona will join Councilman Michael Friscia, who is also supported by the Republican Club, and Councilwoman Paulette Ramsey, who supported them in the primary after being a strong supporter of DeNicola and the Republican Forum candidates in the past. “I am obviously very pleased with the tremendous support we received from the residents of Franklin Lakes and I am proud of the tone of the campaign we ran,” Bivona said following the election. “This was a victory for Franklin Lakes and a vote for decency and respect. In the process of running this campaign we were able to meet and talk to so many people about their issues and concerns. I look forward to getting further input and working with other council members on the important issues that face our town.” Smith said, “I believe the voters have sent a strong message to the mayor and her administration. Politics as commonly practiced with all the nastiness, vindictiveness, and misinformation will not be accepted by the voters of Franklin Lakes. There are important issues facing the borough which need to be addressed in a non political, honest, and straightforward manner. Frank and I intend to solicit contributions from the many talented people within the community without regard to imagined political loyalties. My only frustration at the moment is that we have to wait until next Jan 1 to begin our work.” Commenting on the election results, Mayor DeNicola said, “It’s been a pleasure working with Brian Trava over the last three years. He is a good public servant and will be missed. I look forward to working with the new council. It was a hard fought election but needs to be put behind us and I will continue to do what I’ve always done – work hard for the best interests of Franklin Lakes and our taxpayers.” The primary election campaign was marked by legal challenges and controversy. Early on, there was a dispute about which set of candidates would receive the favored position on the BCRO line on the ballot. Trava and Murphy claimed they were awarded the line by Yudin, but Bivona and Smith challenged that assertion in Superior Court, claiming that Trava and Murphy were not entitled to the line because they failed to file the proper form requesting the line within the required time period. That dispute was settled by the Bergen County Clerk’s office. Neither set of candidates received the BCRO line. Instead, Bivona and Smith were placed on Line 4 and Trava and Murphy on Line 5, separate from the main Republican ballot lines. That decision was ultimately supported in Superior Court. During the campaign, unsolicited mail containing information about Bivona and Smith that some residents described as negative was placed in mailboxes without postage. Several residents complained at a public council meeting. The rhetoric at that meeting became heated at times, and Mayor DeNicola ultimately called the police to come to the meeting to prevent a further escalation of the debate. After that meeting, a letter written by Ramsey was sent to residents stating her support for Bivona and Smith and explaining that, although she had supported the (continued on page 23)   You won’t be in the waiting room long The office is open 7 days a week You can reach your doctor 24 hrs./day 7days/week We use state-of-the-art equipment with electronic medical records Open House Meet & Greet Back By Popular Demand! 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