Editing Glen Rock, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Glen Rock Borough Hall Sept2021 (8) corrected.jpg|thumb|Glen Rock Borough Hall]]
Glen Rock 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 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><ref name="MayorCouncil" />

The borough form of government used by Glen Rock is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the [[Legislature|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=2014-09-24 }}, [[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> The council appoints a professional borough administrator who is the [[chief administrative officer]] of the borough, responsible to the mayor and council.<ref>[https://glenrocknj.net/departments/administration/dept-personnel.php Borough Departments], Borough of Glen Rock. Accessed September 1, 2021. "Glen Rock operates under the Mayor/Council form of government with the annual appointment of a full time professional borough administrator who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Borough, responsible to the Mayor and Council."</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the [[mayor]] of Glen Rock is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Kristine Morieko, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Jill Orlich (D, 2024), Mary Barchetto (D, 2024), Teresa M. G. Gilbreath (D, 2025), Paula Gilligan (D, 2025), Amy Martin (D, 2026) and Regina Viadro (D, 2026).<ref name="MayorCouncil">[https://glenrocknj.net/government/mayor Mayor & Council], Borough of Glen Rock. Accessed June 4, 2024. "Your governing body, the Mayor and Council, consists of a mayor and six council members elected at large. Two council members are elected each year for three-year terms and the Mayor is elected for four years. The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer for the Borough. Glen Rock operates under the Mayor/Council form of government with the annual appointment of a full time professional borough administrator who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Borough, responsible to the Mayor and Council."</ref><ref>[https://glenrocknj.net/government/documents/forms-documents/financial-documents/2024/1201-2024-adopted-budget/file 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Glen Rock. Accessed June 4, 2024.</ref><ref name="BergenCountyDirectory">[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=44 ''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>

In January 2020, the borough council chose Caroline Unzaga from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Kristine Morieko until she stepped down to take office as mayor.<ref>Shanes, Alexis. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/glen-rock/2020/01/10/glen-rock-nj-council-seat-filled-leadership-shifts-democrats/2835067001/ "Empty Glen Rock council seat filled as leadership shifts to Democrats"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', January 10, 2020. Accessed March 25, 2020. "An all-Democrat borough council on Wednesday filled the seat Kristine Morieko vacated when she became mayor. Caroline Unzaga will serve in the empty seat for one year, Morieko said.... The Bergen County Democratic Committee was responsible for naming up to three candidates for the seat, which will be up for reelection in 2021."</ref>

In July 2019, the borough council selected Michelle Torpey from a list of three names nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated by Bill J. Leonard Jr. after he resigned from office and announced that he was moving out of the borough.<ref>Greene, Rebecca. [https://www.tapinto.net/articles/michelle-torpey-chosen-as-glen-rock-replacement-on-council "Michelle Torpey Chosen As Glen Rock Replacement on Council"], TAPinto.net, July 9, 2019. Accessed October 2, 2019. "Candidate Michelle Torpey became Councilwoman Torpey last night when the Borough Council chose her as the replacement for Bill Leonard. Torpey, a republican, replaced Leonard who stepped down as councilman after his June wedding and subsequent move out of town."</ref>

Bruce Packer won the mayoral seat in the 2015 general election over incumbent John van Keuren, who had been seeking a fourth term. Packer's Democratic running-mates William "Skip" Huisking and Kristine Morieko were also elected to three-year Borough Council terms, giving the borough a Democratic mayor for the first time in 12 years, and a 3–3 split on the council.<ref>De Santa, Richard. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120034/http://www.northjersey.com/news/democrats-win-mayoral-council-seats-in-glen-rock-1.1447700/ "Democrats win mayoral, council seats in Glen Rock"], ''Glen Rock Gazette'', November 3, 2015, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of March 4, 2016. Accessed August 29, 2017. "Democratic mayoral challenger Bruce Packer turned back incumbent Mayor John van Keuren's bid for a fourth term, as Glen Rock voters opted for change at the polls Tuesday. Packer's Democratic running-mates William (Skip) Huisking and Kristine Morieko were also elected to three-year Borough Council terms, unseating GOP incumbent Joan Orseck and outpacing her running-mate, Robert Bourne."</ref>

Glen Rock's borough government recognizes an annual Poverty Awareness Week. The community comes together for an annual project to combat extreme global poverty. In 2007, the community built a Habitat House in [[Paterson, New Jersey]] (the second home built by Glen Rock residents), and the community was honored as Paterson Habitat's Volunteers of the Year (a first for a community). In 2008, the Borough came together for the Water for Africa Music Festival. The event raised the funds to pay for two [[Roundabout PlayPump]] water systems in sub-Saharan Africa.<ref>[http://www.dbusinessnews.com/shownews.php?newsid=155218&type_news=past Water for Africa Festival Scheduled for Memorial Weekend] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328035936/http://www.dbusinessnews.com/shownews.php?newsid=155218&type_news=past |date=2012-03-28 }}, dBusinessNews.com, April 4, 2008. Accessed July 24, 2011.</ref> In 2009, the community continued its battle against poverty, raising funds to battle malaria in hurricane-ravaged Haiti.

The borough government has declared Glen Rock a [[sustainable community]], pursuing a "Green Up" policy that reflects a commitment to protecting the borough's trees, water and general environment. Shade trees are provided at no cost annually to citizens with cooperation from the DPW.<ref>[http://www.greenupglenrock.com/about.html About] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830144902/http://www.greenupglenrock.com/about.html |date=August 30, 2017 }}, Green Up Glen Rock. Accessed August 29, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.glenrocknj.net/departments/boards-and-committees/detail.php?id=ENVIR Glen Rock Environmental Commission], Borough of Glen Rock. Accessed December 7, 2013.</ref> On April 10, 2019, the borough council passed an ordinance outlawing single-use plastic bags in retail establishments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/fair-lawn-slash-glen-rock/articles/glen-rock-bans-single-use-plastic-bags-as-of-jan-1-2020|title=Glen Rock Bans Single-Use Plastic Bags as of Jan. 1, 2020|last=Greene|first=Rebecca|date=April 11, 2019|website=TAPinto|language=en|access-date=April 11, 2019}}</ref>