Glen Rock April 11, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Two Democrats, one Republican file for council seats by John Koster Two Democrats and a Republican have filed for their parties’ primary elections, which will be held June 5. Glen Rock Council incumbent Joan Orseck and Howard Fox, a veteran of a previous election bid, have filed for the Democratic primary, while Republican council incumbent Carmine Nogara filed for the GOP primary. Two three-year seats will be available on the council in the November general election. Fox, who ran for council last year, is an expert in electronic communications and operates multiple businesses. During his 2011 election campaign, Fox made some points with the bipartisan audience at a Glen Rock Candidates Night by pointing out that the borough had, in his opinion and some others, been somewhat backward in promulgating electronic communications and in scheduling recycling. Fox said this led to street litter when the materials to be recycled were put out at the wrong time. The 2011 election produced a tense vote count, but the Republicans won. The 2012 budget, however, contains some provisions for improvements to electronic communications. Nogara, who is seeking his second term, is a financial professional and a long-time volunteer with the Glen Rock Fire Department. Council members on both sides of the spectrum cite his financial knowledge in budgeting activities. He recuses himself when voting on matters concerning the fire department budget. Orseck is a registered nurse and teacher of nursing. The Glen Rock Council incumbent is now seeking her third term on the council. She was once part of a 3-3 council balance between Democrats and Republicans, but attrition wore away at the balance and Orseck is now the lone Democrat on the council, which has five Republican members with a Republican mayor, John van Keuren. An advocate of youth and senior services, Orseck is committed to controlling taxes without serious loss of services. Glen Rock had been solidly Republican with the exception of a single council term by Howard Bookbinder in the 1980s until the 1996 tax revaluation led to 800 appeals, many of them successful, and objections to the delay on the part of the council to reject the revaluation. Richard Hahn won election to the mayor’s post as an Independent in a three-way election when Democrat Murray Rinzler threw his support behind Hahn. Since then, a number of Democrats have been elected to the borough council but John van Keuren, who succeeded Hahn, has retained the mayor’s chair and November has produced some close elections but kept the Republicans as the majority party in Glen Rock. The Glen Rock Garden Club will hold its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nain Line Railroad Station on Rock Road. This annual fundraiser, which will be held rain or shine, benefits borough beautification projects. Gardeners prepare for May Plant Sale Sale items will include flowers for Mother’s Day gifts, tomato plants, rhubarb, irises, annuals, and more. The main attraction will be plants grown by members from seed or propagation. Members will be available to offer advice and answer questions. For information, call (201) 447-6099.