October 30, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 Waldwick Election features open space referendum, council race In next week’s election Waldwick voters will cast ballots on the renewal of their open space trust fund and two candidates to rep- resent them on the borough council. The open space trust fund was insti- tuted with a sunset provision that requires renewal every ten years. The trust now in effect requires the average taxpayer to pay $21 a year in taxes (half a cent for every dollar of assessed valuation) to the trust. Since funding for the program is already included in the tax base, however, continu- ation will result in no increase in taxes to support it. The moneys from the open space trust are used to match county and state grants, thus leveraging their worth. Funds raised over the past 10 years, coupled with county open space grants, have gone to make park improvements and to maintain those areas in which substantial investments in landscaping had been made. Projects have included the renovation of Veterans Park, installation of new playground equipment at Emmet Park, and upgrades at Borough Park, including the installation of a special needs playground and the rehabilitation of the comfort station. In the race for the two open borough council seats, two incumbent Republi- Resident pleads not guilty Mark J. Spatucci of Waldwick has entered a not guilty plea in the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Mary Greff, also of the borough. Spatucci was arrested Oct. 24 and arraigned Friday in Superior Court. Judge Liliana DeAvila-Silebi ordered that Spatucci must have no contact with his nine-month- old son. Spatucci has also been charged with abusing and neglecting his son by depriv- ing the child of a mother. Assistant County Prosecutor Wayne Mello charged Spatucci with destroying evidence. Spatucci, formerly of Midland Park, was charged with allegedly strangling Greff in her Mary Lane home in the early morning hours of Oct. 23. Their nine-month old son, Mark, was found unharmed in his crib in the bedroom where the body was found. According to County Prosecutor John Molinelli, the investigation revealed that on Wednesday evening, Oct. 23, Spatucci drove to the Greff residence where the victim lived with her parents and her infant son and entered the house through a second floor window. Once in the victim’s bedroom, Spatucci and Greff argued. It is believed the baby and Greff’s parents were sleeping. The argument apparently turned violent, and Spatucci is alleged to have killed Greff and left her lying on her bed. Spatucci then left the Greff residence in the same manner that he entered, unnoticed by the victim’s (continued on page 10) cans, Greg Bjork and Don Sciolaro, are being challenged by Democrat Andrew Frey. Bjork, on the council since January, is seeking election to his first full term. He heads the Public Works Committee. Frey is a newcomer. Sciolaro has been on the coun- cil for nine years and currently heads the finance committee. For Bjork and Sciolaro, quality of life and maintaining services surface as the primary issues. For Frey, affordability is paramount. “Although quality of life is a broad term, it describes what I feel is the most important issue for Waldwick residents young and old. Whether you are a senior living in Tama- ron or elsewhere, or a young family start- ing out, or a middle age resident, quality of life is germane,” Bjork said in a statement. “Improving or maintaining one’s quality of life has been quite difficult with the eco- nomic downturn the last 5-6 years. As a councilman I can make decisions to ensure Waldwick is a town we can all be proud of and which is an enjoyable place to live and come home to,” he added. “Maintaining tax rates while still pro- viding many municipal services for all age groups is challenging. I pledge to perform (continued on page 17)