Waldwick April 11, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 11 Waldwick Councilwoman Anita Bozzo will not seek reelection to the council seat she has held for nine years. Councilman Charles Farricker and newcomer Anthony Celeste filed in the Republican primary for the two available three-year terms. Councilman Greg Bjork, appointed to the governing body in January to replace Thomas Giordano when he became mayor, will run for the one-year left on that term. In the Democratic primary, Richard Drury and Andrew Frey have filed for the two three-year terms. Allison Welker will seek the mayor’s unexpired term. “It’s been a very gratifying experience, but now that there are some new people expressing interest in serving our municipality, it’s a good time to let some new people move in,” Bozzo said of her decision. Bozzo, an 8th grade language arts teacher in Paterson after a 20-year career in the financial services industry, said she will return to college for a new certificate in learning disabilities as a teacher-consultant and also to complete her supervisor’s certificate, for which she is only a few classes shy. “This is difficult to do with one night blocked off every week, since many classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays,” she explained. Farricker has served on the council since 2006 and served as the liaison the the board of education and the chamber of commerce. He currently chairs the council’s Public Works Committee. He is a member of Saint Luke’s parish and served as a mentor to the youth group. He serves on the board of directors of the WBA, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Celeste, 22, expects to graduate from Ramapo College this summer. He said he was encouraged to run for a council seat by residents who had heard him speak on issues. “I have no political agenda, no political connection. People thought I was a good fit to be on the council. I will run a grass roots campaign and go door to door to get Both parties file for council seats; Bozzo to step down residents’ support,” he said, adding that if elected, he will seek out people’s opinions on issues and represent those concerns. A lifelong Waldwick resident, Celeste is a member of the Republican County Committee from District 2. He graduated from Bergen Catholic High School and then attended Bergen Community College before transferring to Ramapo to pursue a degree in history. He works as a clerk at Bottle King in Glen Rock and is exploring options to pursue either a law degree or a master’s in public policy after graduation. Since his appointment to the council, Bjork has been chairing buildings and grounds committee. An 18-year Waldwick resident, he was on the planning board before being appointed to the council and had previously served on the zoning board of adjustment. He has been a member of the Waldwick Lions Club for 15 years and has coached softball in the borough. He is the owner of Bjork’s Builders, Ltd. in Midland Park. Drury and Frey, who ran unsuccessfully for council seats last year, and Welker, a newcomer, said in a joint statement that they are running because they love Waldwick, and while they are not out to change the look and feel of the town, they would like to change its financial future. “We are tired of the never ending and ever increasing property tax bill, and we would like to finally do something about it. Granted this will not happen overnight, but with small steps in the right direction, we can change the course we are on as a town. While you may recall only a ‘minor’ tax increase this year, it was an increase all the same. What you may not be aware of is the additional debt load we took on this year. We would like to correct the spend today-pay later mentality, especially since Waldwick’s debt load through bonds is currently approximately $13,000,000. Please remember, all this has to be repaid in the future, by us, the taxpayers,” they concluded. Drury, a life-long borough resident and graduate of Waldwick High School, is manager of Prestige Lock in Waldwick. He has been a member of the Service Employees International Union for 25 years. Drury has been involved with the Waldwick Soccer Association for nine years, and has been a member of the Waldwick Soccer Board for six years. He is a member of the Waldwick Zoning Board of Adjustment, and served two years on the committee that produces the annual Waldwick Graduation Ball. Frey, 38, has lived in Waldwick since 2007. A former police officer, he is a fire inspector and arson investigator with the City of Hoboken and is a member of the Waldwick Volunteer Fire Department. He is a graduate of Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City and is currently pursuing a degree in criminal justice at Bergen Community College. He hopes to attend law school and is an active member of the Waldwick Democratic Club. Welker, 36, is Executive Vice President for Client Services with Advantage Sales & Marketing, Norwalk CT. She holds a degree from Ohio State in family relations and human development and an MBA in marketing from Cal State, in Long Beach, CA. She is a member of the Waldwick Woman’s Club and a part-time party planner.