Villadom Times Weekly Newpaper Online-May 27, 2009 Issue

Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 27, 2009 Franklin Lakes Voters must choose between Republican slates by Frank J. McMahon The June 2 primary election in Franklin Lakes will feature four Republican candidates from two factions who are seeking their party’s nomination to run for election to two available seats on the borough council in November. Incumbent Councilman Brian Trava and political newcomer Tom Murphy are running as political partners who are supported by the borough’s Republican Forum, a political organization formed in 2006 in support of the candidacy of Mayor Maura DeNicola. William Smith, a former councilman and borough attorney who was not reappointed by Mayor DeNicola last year, is running with political newcomer Frank Bivona, with the support of the borough’s Republican Club, a political organization that has been active in the borough for many years. The Democratic Party did not file a nominating petition for any candidates to seek election to the council this year, so the winners of the primary will win election to the council unless an Independent candidate steps forward and files a nominating petition by the June deadline. Trava’s first term on the council expires at the end of this year. A father of three children, two of whom attend Ramapo High School, he is an endodontist and an assistant clinical professor at the University of Medicine & Dentistry New Jersey, where he is on the board of the alumni. A 33year resident of the borough, Trava is a graduate of Ramapo High School. He holds a BA degree from Lycoming College, where he graduated magna cum laude, and a DMD from UMDNJ. Trava serves as chairman of the council’s Planning and Development Committee and is a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee. He previously served on the Public Works and Technology Committee and the Cable TV and Ordinance committees. A member of the borough’s Memorial Pond Committee, he is also a member of the Rotary International and has been a basketball coach at the Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Murphy has been a resident of the borough for 15 years and has three children in the local school district. He holds a BS in finance from Ohio State University and an MBA from Rutgers University in finance and E-commerce. After graduating from Ohio State University in 1993 and obtaining his master’s degree, Murphy joined Valley National Bank where he held various positions in Internet services, project management and systems development. Moving on to Trinity Biotech, he was appointed the business solutions manager for the USA. He was responsible for the operations of all software, reporting, auditing, systems development, service support, and systems integration. An Internet marketing consultant, Murphy is currently self-employed and maintains a business office in Wyckoff where he designs websites and improves existing ones. He also serves on the Valley Hospital Renewal Committee and the Valley Hospital President’s Council. Smith has been a resident of Franklin Lakes for 34 years and has four children, all of whom attended the borough’s school system. A Fairfield University and Fordham Law School graduate, he was elected to the council in 1976 and 1979. He served as borough’s municipal attorney from 1980 through November 2009. A principal in the Franklin Lakes law firm of Hook Smith & Meyer, he is also a member of the Franklin Lakes Lions Club and a life member of the VFW. Smith is also a former member of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish Council and is presently a member of the Indian Trail Club Advisory Committee. He has been active in the borough’s recreation programs for many years, including basketball coach at the middle school and assistant tennis coach for eight years at Ramapo High School. Bivona has two teens and has been active in the borough’s recreation program as a coach in girls’ and boys’ softball, baseball and basketball. He has also been active at the Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament where he has served on the advisory board and co-directed that school’s basketball program. He received a BS degree from Adelphi University and has served on several charitable boards including Junior Achievement and the YMCA of Greater New York. Recently retired, his prior work experience was primarily in the bond insurance business where he dealt with municipalities country-wide on the issuance of debt obligations. For the last five years, he was employed as the chief executive officer of the FGIC Corporation where he was the chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors. Before joining FGIC, Bivona was vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Ambac Financial Group for 18 years. �� Resin �� Welcomes your press releases photographs ��