Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 15, 2011 Area Voters endorse candidates in local primaries Last week, voters went to the polls to endorse their parties’ candidates for available seats on the local governing bodies. Winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will now prepare to meet in the November general election. Independents had until the day of the primary to announce their candidacy, but Independent candidates’ names do not appear on the primary ballots. Summaries of the primary results follow: Franklin Lakes In Franklin Lakes, voters in the Republican primary cast 230 ballots for council candidate Joseph Kelly and 224 ballots for incumbent Councilwoman Paulette Ramsey. Voters also endorsed incumbent Charles Kahwaty, who is running for an unexpired term on the council, with 239 ballots. Ramsey is seeking a sixth term. Currently council president, Ramsey has served on the zoning and planning boards, and as liaison to the Franklin Lakes Public Library, the environmental commission, the Franklin Lakes Recreation Committee, and the Bergen County Historical Advisory Board. She organized the Franklin Lakes Day celebrations for three years, and chaired the borough’s 80th Anniversary celebration. She is a founding member of the Ramapo High School Booster Association, a charter member of the Franklin Lakes Historical Society, and a member of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary. She was an elementary school teacher in Ramsey and Upper Saddle River. Kelly is the district director for a free income tax program for indigent people in Paterson, Clifton, and Passaic. He is also vice president of Activities Unlimited, a Wyckoff-based organization for senior men. A former employee of the International Business Machines Corporation, Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Fordham University, and an MBA in finance from Wagner University. He served as a lieutenant in U.S. Army, and was assigned to the National Security Agency. He has served on the New York City Board of Education, and taught math and science at the DeWitt Clinton High School and at the Roosevelt Evening High School. Kahwaty is an attorney. His practice areas include personal injury law, commercial litigation, municipal court law, driving while intoxicated cases, and collections. He received a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a juris doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association and was that organization’s president from 2002 to 2003. He has also held several positions on the New Jersey State Bar Association and is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the American Trial Lawyers Association New Jersey, and the Republican National Lawyers Association. No Democrats ran this year. Midland Park Last week’s primary election results and independent filings in Midland Park have assured a two-way contest in November for mayor and one of the two available council seats. There were no unexpected Democrat write-in votes as has been the case occasionally in the past. Republican Councilman Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan and former Board of Education member Russell Kamp are seeking the mayor’s seat being vacated by one-term Mayor Joseph Monahan. Monahan has teamed up with Kamp to run for council, challenging incumbent Republicans Michael Junta and Nick Papapietro for one of the two council seats. With only 164 Republican voters, representing 9 percent of registered voters, casting ballots, O’Hagan received 141 votes. Junta garnered 146 votes, and Papapietro received 147. Kamp and Monahan submitted petitions as Independents on Friday, June 3, ahead of the June 7 deadline. With 89 signatures required to get on the November ballot, Kamp filed with 164 signatures, and Monahan submitted 141. Monahan, elected as an Independent four years ago, announced in March that he would not seek reelection to a second term as mayor. Kamp was on the Midland Park Board of Education from 1995 -2004 and was a trustee of West Bergen Mental Healthcare for nine years, including four years as president. He has served as manager/coach for numerous Midland Park sports programs for nearly 20 years and was coordinator of the 2010 Midland Park High School gradu- ation ball. A graduate of Fordham University with a degree in business, Kamp is senior vice president and director, asset management, for Two Sigma Investments in New York City. O’Hagan has served on the council for 23 years and is the borough’s representative to the Joint Insurance Fund and sits on JIF’s executive board. He is an active member and past president of the Midland Park Lions Club and served 10 years on the Midland Park Board of Adjustment, including several terms as chairman. A graduate of Ramapo College, he is a Realtor with Terrie O’Connor Realtors, Allendale office. A lifelong borough resident, Junta is seeking election to a second term. He is the captain of the Midland Park Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which he joined in 1998, and serves on the Midland Park Shade Tree Committee. He is the equipment operator with the Village of Ridgewood Parks and Shade Tree Division. Monahan, a 17-year resident, holds an engineering degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance from Rutgers University. He is the vice president of administration and operations for Polo Ralph Lauren in New York City. He and his family are active in the PTA, special education, recreation league, Scouts and the Midland Park Education Foundation. Papapietro, born and raised in Midland, is seeking election to a second term. He served several years on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. He is a member of the Midland Park Lions Club, a CERT member, treasurer of the Midland Park United Republican Club and volunteered with Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. He is employed by the Joint Industry Board of the Electrical Industry as director of investment operations. Wyckoff Democratic voters in the Township of Wyckoff have endorsed incumbent Wyckoff Township Committeeman Brian Scanlan with 143 ballots, while Republican voters endorsed incumbent Township Committeeman Thomas Madigan and newcomer Doug Christie. Madigan and Christie received 406 votes and 398 votes, respectively. Voters will select two of the three candidates to the two available seats on the Wyckoff Township Committee. (continued on page 28)