Editing Alpha, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Alpha, NJ borough hall, Nov. 2024.jpg|thumb|right|Alpha Municipal Complex]]
Alpha is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected [[direct election|directly]] by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 103.</ref> The borough form of government used by Alpha is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=September 24, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2022}}, the [[mayor]] of Alpha Borough is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Craig S. Dunwell, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Alpha Borough Council are Council President Robert J. Melick Jr. (R, 2023), Angela Bickar ([[Independent politician|I]], 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term), Louis J. Cartabona (R, 2023), Todd W. Pantuso (R, 2022), Peter Petinelli (R, 2024) and Jodie Smith (R, 2024).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.alphaboronj.org/government/mayor___council.php Mayor & Council], Borough of Alpha. Accessed February 28, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://ecode360.com/documents/AL0476/public/657469948.pdf 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Alpha. Accessed June 21, 2022.</ref><ref name=Warren2021>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/3284/637729175316070000 Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Warren2020>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/2484/637648299297000000 Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results], Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Warren2019>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/2470/637642013517370000 General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally], [[Warren County, New Jersey|]], updated November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref> Angela Bickar was elected to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Edward Hanics Jr.<ref name=Warren2021/>

Republican councilmember Jack Preiss and Democrat Kathleen Ronan, both serving terms ending in December 2018, resigned from office in September 2016. Preiss cited time conflicts with his work duties, while Ronan expressed her frustrations with working with the rest of the council. Louis Cartabona was chosen to fill the seat held by Preiss.<ref>Novak, Steve. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf/2016/10/another_nj_town_dealing_with_e.html "Another Warren County town dealing with elected officials' resignations"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', October 4, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2018. "Jack Preiss on Sept. 14 and Kathleen Ronan on Sept. 23. Preiss felt he could not devote the time necessary to his appointed role as the public works director, according to his letter to the borough. Ronan in her letter accused Mayor Craig Dunwell's administration of 'a total lack of respect for the will of council along with an inability to effectively communicate with members of the governing body.'... Louis Cartabona, who lost re-election last year, is back on council in place of the Republican Preiss, and is on the November ballot as a write-in for a full three-year term.</ref> In October, the council selected Jennifer Gable from a list of three nominees submitted by the Democratic municipal committee to fill Ronan's vacant seat.<ref>[http://www.alphaboro.org/images/2016/101116_min.pdf Borough Council Meeting Minutes October 11, 2016], Borough of Alpha. Accessed February 2, 2018. "Mayor Dunwell began the meeting with discussion of a Council vacancy. The Democratic Party met and provided three names.... Mrs. Jennifer Gable was then sworn in on Council to fill the vacancy."</ref> In the 2017 general election, Louis J. Cartabona and Alan Singleton were elected to serve the balance of the two unexpired terms of office.<ref name=Warren2017>[http://www.co.warren.nj.us/Elections/includings/2017_General_Official_Summary_with_Write-ins.pdf General Election November 7, 2017, Warren County Official Tally], [[Warren County, New Jersey|]], updated November 14, 2017. Accessed January 1, 2018.</ref>

Harry Zikas became the state's youngest mayor ever when he took office in 2000 at the age of 21.<ref>[http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2014/09/longtime_alpha_councilman_and.html "Longtime Alpha councilman and former mayor announces resignation"], ''The Express-Times'', September 9, 2014. Accessed June 15, 2017. "...he started his service to the borough when he was a 19-year-old member of the Board of Education. In 2000, he was sworn in as mayor... Zikas decided not to run for re-election in 2007, when he won a seat on council."</ref><ref>[http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2011/05/the_life_of_22-year-old_pohatc.html "Pohatcong Township Mayor-elect James Kern III's youth gives some pause, while others see promise"], ''The Express-Times'', May 22, 2011. Accessed June 15, 2017. "And next door to Pohatcong, Alpha is home to Harry Zikas Jr., who was New Jersey's youngest mayor ever when he was sworn in at age 21 in 2000, according to the Conference of Mayors."</ref> Zikas announced his resignation from office in September 2014, citing his acceptance of a job in Northern New Jersey.<ref>Peters, Sarah. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2014/09/longtime_alpha_councilman_and.html "Longtime Alpha councilman and former mayor announces resignation"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', September 9, 2014. Accessed September 15, 2014. "Alpha Borough Councilman Harry Zikas Jr. formally announced his resignation in a letter to fellow officials late Monday night. His resignation is effective Sept. 20. Zikas accepted a promotion at work and plans to move to Paterson, New Jersey, he said."</ref> With Mayor Ed Hanics casting the tiebreaking vote, Tracy Grossman was selected in October 2014 to fill the remainder of Zikas's term of office.<ref>Peters, Sarah. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2014/10/alpha_mayor_breaks_tie_vote_on.html "Alpha mayor breaks tie vote on short-term council appointment"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', October 14, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2015. "Alpha Borough Council tonight named Tracy Grossman to serve the two and a half months left in former Councilman Harry Zikas Jr.'s term."</ref>

In January 2014, the borough council selected Millard Rooks to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2015 of Michael Savary, who had resigned after pleading guilty to disorderly tampering with public records.<ref>Peters, Sarah. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2014/01/new_alpha_borough_councilman_t.html "New Alpha councilman takes office; appointment was a surprise to some officials"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', January 12, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2015. "Instead, council appointed Millard Rooks Jr. to fill the vacancy left by Councilman Michael Savary's resignation, following Rooks' nomination by Schwar.... Savary's term didn't expire until December 2015, but the former councilman resigned after pleading guilty in September to disorderly tampering with public records."</ref>