Thursday, October 18, 2007
By JAN BARRY
STAFF WRITER
RINGWOOD -- Voters have a stark choice in November.
Although Democrats hold a 4-3 majority on the Borough Council, the three incumbents up for reelection contend that in reality they lost control two years ago. That's when Democrat Joanne Atlas took over as mayor by gaining support of the three Republican council members.
Atlas decided not to run this time around, so her seat is the fourth one that's open.
"Ringwood will be on a different track next year, one way or the other," Councilman William O'Hearn, a Democrat, told a standing-room-only crowd at a candidates' night Tuesday at the Ringwood Public Library.
The other incumbents seeking reelection are Thomas Mac Allen and Wenke Taule, who served a term as the borough's first woman mayor.
Rounding out the Democratic ticket is Susan Griffin, a former school board president.
Republicans vow that if they win the council majority they will work together to resolve long-standing problems.
"We have major differences," Republican hopeful Theodore Taukus, a former councilman and mayor, agreed at the end of a contentious two-hour debate. "Frankly, the borough is in big trouble. We offer you a fresh start with old friends."
Taukus' running mates are Walter Davison, a 22-year veteran of the council, including several terms as mayor; John Speer, a Planning Board member; and Scott Conley, a former volunteer fire chief.
Just how together the Republican team is remains to be seen.
Four years ago, after clashing with fellow Republican council members, Taukus changed his registration to independent. In 2005 he lost a bid for another term when he challenged both parties' platforms.
The major disputes this year are fiscal: Republicans contend that the Democrats have been ineffective at reining in rising property taxes and in addressing the economic impact of the state Highlands Act, which severely restricts development in the mountainous town.
Davison, who served a term as borough manager after retiring as the Passaic County deputy administrator, vows to improve "budget management." Speer, an engineer, says he'll restore a "business environment" in the borough.
Republicans also argue that they would be more aggressive in pressing state and federal agencies to make sure Ford Motor Co. completes its cleanup of industrial waste in the Upper Ringwood mining area.
"We won't work against each other," Conley said, alluding to disputes between the incumbents and Atlas. "We will work together to find a solution."
But Taule argued that the Democrats forthrightly tackled "issues that have come back to bite us because they were never resolved in the past" when Republicans ran the town.
Griffin said Democrats can manage better than Republicans. "We need to professionally fight the good fight," she said.
Mac Allen and Republicans clashed, as in the past, over a county proposal to install a traffic roundabout at the Skyline Drive and Erskine Road intersection, which Republicans opposed when in power.
"If we get all four seats, we will get it fixed, one way or another," Mac Allen said.
E-mail: barry@northjersey.com
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