Editing Hillsdale, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Hillsdale 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 a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected 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. 165.</ref> The borough form of government used by Hillsdale 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|2023}}, the [[mayor]] of Hillsdale is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Michael Sheinfield, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Hillsdale Borough Council are Council President John Escobar ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], 2024), Anthony DeRosa (R, 2023), Justin P. Fox (R, 2025), Zoltan Horvath (R, 2023), Abby Lundy (R, 2024), Clemente Osso (R, 2026), John Ruocco (R, 2026), and Janetta Trochimiuk (R, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.hillsdalenj.org/index.asp?SEC=AA53B0BF-255C-4B56-8C04-966B65186912&Type=B_DIR Borough Council and Mayor], Borough of Hillsdale, Accessed May 17, 2024. "Hillsdale is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year. "</ref><ref>[https://www.hillsdalenj.org/vertical/Sites/%7BFE916F8D-CA48-4788-B4B7-6A2BF8501398%7D/uploads/FINAL_2024_Budget_Introduction.pdf#page=3 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Hillsdale, Accessed May 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=47 ''2024 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2023>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.gov/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/District%20Canvass%20NEW.pdf Official Statement of Vote 2023 General Election - November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2022>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/Certified%20Statement%20of%20Vote%20Book%2011-21-22.pdf Bergen County November 8, 2022 General Election Statement of Vote], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Bergen2021>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/Statement%20of%20Vote%2011-17-21(1).pdf Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

After Douglas Frank resigned due to health issues, the council selected John Ruocco in September 2017 to replace him as mayor for the seat expiring in December 2019. The council chose Zoltan Horvath from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill Ruocco's vacant council seat expiring December 2017, while Frank Pizzella was selected to serve as council president through the end of the year.<ref>Carrera, Catherine. [http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/hillsdale/2017/09/12/hillsdale-swears-new-council-member-zoltan-horvath/660493001/ "Hillsdale swears in new council member"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', September 12, 2017. Accessed September 14, 2017. "Planning Board member Zoltan Horvath was sworn in Tuesday as the borough's new council member, replacing now-Mayor John Ruocco.... Ruocco vacated his council seat after he was chosen by the council last week to take over for Mayor Douglas Frank.... At Tuesday's meeting, the council also voted for Councilman Frank Pizzella to serve as president until the end of the year."</ref>

Frank Pizzella was appointed in January 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Michael Giancarlo expiring in December 2013.<ref>Redmond, Kimberley. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/188348581_Pizzella_fills_vacant_seat_on_Hillsdale_Council.html "Frank Pizzella"], ''Pascack Valley Community Life'', January 25, 2013. Accessed October 15, 2013. "Former Councilman Frank Pizzella has been selected to fill a vacancy on the Hillsdale Borough Council.... D'Amico, DeRosa and Pizzella were the three nominees presented by the Hillsdale Republican Committee for the council to consider appointing to serve out the remainder of former Councilman Michael Giancarlo's term which will expire in December."</ref> Giancarlo's resignation in December 2012 was one of five that year, with Anthony DeRosa appointed in January 2012 to fill the seat of Donna Schiavone, Leslie Becker appointed to fill the vacancy of Jonathan DeJoseph when he was named as borough administrator, Frank Pizzella replacing Rod Capawana, and John MacEwen replacing the seat that Leslie Becker had briefly occupied.<ref>Redmond, Kimberly. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/182837991_Hillsdale_Council_President_announces_Dec__31_resignation.html?c=y&page=all "Hillsdale Council President announces Dec. 31 resignation"], ''Pascack Valley Community Life'', December 10, 2012. Accessed December 9, 2013. "Hillsdale Councilman Michael Giancarlo tendered his resignation from office yesterday.... This will be the fifth council resignation in Hillsdale in the last year, however the vacancy will not be filled until next year. In January, Anthony DeRosa was selected to fill a seat left open by former Councilwoman Donna Schiavone, who resigned for personal reasons in late December. In March, Leslie Becker was appointed to former Councilman Jonathan DeJoseph's seat after he stepped down to take the job of Hillsdale's borough administrator/CFO. In May, Rod Capawana, who was elected to office last November, stepped down after he angered members of the Hillsdale Fire Department with a remark during his monthly fire commissioner report regarding the consumption of alcohol at the firehouse. In June, Frank Pizzella was selected to fill Capawana's seat and just two weeks later Becker resigned from her seat, citing personal reasons. Her replacement, John MacEwen was sworn into office in August."</ref>