Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • November 13, 2013 Area Voters endorse council representatives in election There were no contests in this year’s council elections in the boroughs of Ho-Ho-Kus, Saddle River, or Upper Saddle River. Registered voters endorsed their representa- tives to their municipalities’ governing bodies. Ho-Ho-Kus Forty-six percent of the registered voters in Ho-Ho-Kus turned out to cast their ballots for incumbent GOP Coun- cilmen Phil Rorty and Kevin Shea who ran for the two available seats on the Ho-Ho-Kus Council. Rorty received 905 ballots and Shea received 935. Rorty is now completing his first term on the govern- ing body. He attended the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School and graduated from Ridgewood High School, which previ- ously had a send/receive relationship with Ho-Ho-Kus. He received a bachelor’s degree from Nichols College. He has been employed in the insurance industry since 1977, and is currently vice president of Global Crisis Man- agement at Liberty International Underwriters, NYC. Rorty and his wife Nancy have two children. Rorty and his son were both members of Ho-Ho-Kus Cub Pack 54 and Scout Troop 54. The councilman later served as Assistant Cub Master of Pack 54 and as chair- man of the group’s Year End Cookout. He coached recreational soccer, baseball, and lacrosse teams from 1993 through 2001. He is a member and past president of the Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department, and an exempt and life member of the New Jersey State Fireman’s Association. He is treasurer of the Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department Relief Association. Rorty has been a member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Planning Board since 2005. A life-long member of the Republican Party, Rorty has been an elected Republican County Municipal Commit- teeman for District 1 for 12 years. He has also served as chairman for the last eight years. Shea is also completing his first term on the council, where he serves as finance chairman and recreation liai- son. The councilman attended Cavallini School in Upper Saddle River and graduated from Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale. He double majored in English and economics at Fairfield University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He has spent his entire career in trading and sales at Goldman Sachs, where he is currently managing director. Before he was elected to the council, Shea was a member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Zoning Board of Adjustment for three years. He and his wife, Dawn, are active at Saint Gabriel’s Church and with the Girl Scouts and the Ho-Ho-Kus Edu- cation Foundation. He is a member of the advisory board of the Dolan School of Business, and mentors local students. Shea is involved with the Northern Highlands Fed Challenge, a competition for high school students that is sponsored by the Federal Reserve. In recent years, the councilman and his wife purchased and completely renovated the historical home known by many names, including “The Gingrich House.” Saddle River Saddle River’s Republican voters endorsed Ronald Gray with 683 ballots and Corinne Kerner with 694 ballots. Gray has lived in Saddle River for 10 years. In addi- tion to serving as trustee of the SRRC, Gray is a frequent participant at council and board of education meetings. He said he is a firm believer in community participation in local politics. He has practiced law for more than 30 years with two financial services industry leaders where he has gained insight into inclusive and transparent governance models. He said his experience has given him critical thinking skills that will enhance the council’s decision making pro- cess. Kerner has lived in Saddle River for nine years. She has two children attending Wandell School. She is an active member of the Republican Club, serving as a past membership chairperson and County Committee member. Kerner is a forensic accountant, certified public accoun- tant, and licensed private investigator. In her community, she serves as a Girl Scout Leader and a volunteer at both school and church. Upper Saddle River Republican candidates Dr. Jonathan Ditkoff and Dr. Thomas Hafner received 1,474 and 1,420 ballots, respec- tively. The two GOP incumbents ran unopposed, and both won second terms in last week’s election. The turnout was 39 percent. Dr. Hafner is a general dentist and has lived in Upper Saddle River for 45 years. He attended the Upper Saddle River elementary school system before moving on to Don Bosco High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison and his DMD from Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. College of Dental Medicine. He opened his dental practice in 1989, and continues to earn post-graduate credits in education. Hafner was a clinical professor at Bergen Community College and worked in research at Lever Brothers Inter- national. He also worked in a mobile dental unit, helping patients with disabilities. He belongs to the American Academy of Gnathologic Orthopedics, the American Dental Association, the Bergen County Dental Association, the Huggins Alliance Group, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the Pankee Institute. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and a parishioner of the Church of the Presentation. Dr. Ditkoff has lived in Upper Saddle River for 14 years. He attended public school in Long Island, where he participated in many activities, including soccer, wres- tling, baseball, band, orchestra, and student government. After high school, he was accepted to a highly com- petitive seven-year accelerated BS/MD program. This pro- gram integrated undergraduate school with medical school and accepted 60 people per year. While working to obtain his degrees, he lived on his own in Manhattan and partici- pated in student government and sports. He later completed an ophthalmology residency at Albert Einstein/Montefiore and completed a fellowship in cornea and laser vision correction at Albany Medical Center. He moved to New Jersey and joined his partner at The Eye Care Center of New Jersey in Bloomfield 19 years ago. As a business owner, Ditkoff says he has a proven track record in dealing with human resource issues, budget deci- sions, overhead control, marketing, and overseeing the day to day functions of a busy practice. His community activities include coaching various sports, working on the baseball board, and being involved with charity organizations. He has contributed to the USR PTO, the USR educational fund, the Saddle River JCO, and the Upper Saddle River Library. He has served as liaison to the board of health, environmental committee, recreation commission, and the department of public works.