Local Strongholds Propel Walsh and Riche to Council Victory

With heavy help from their home districts, Bernadette Walsh and Tom Riche were elected to Village Council yesterday.

Walsh received 2,104 votes and Riche 2,074, thus defeating candidates Brian Dowd and Doug Cronk.

"I don't think it's hit me yet," Walsh said. "I think when I saw our numbers in our own district is when we knew we could breathe easy."

With 22.03 percent turnout, Walsh (57.63 percent) and Riche (56.81 percent) bested the bracketed candidates who fell short. Cronk received 1,486 (40.7 percent) votes, and Dowd received 1,367 (37.44 percent).

"I'm obviously pleased and humbled by the outpouring of the voters. Now it's time to step up to the job," Riche said. "Fiscal responsibility was my primary focus, and I look forward to working with Bernie and the other council members."

A former councilman himself, Riche will become the chamber's most senior member, joining Deputy Mayor Keith Killion, Councilman Paul Aronsohn and Councilwoman Anne Zusy.

Turnout was slow early on, poll workers reported, but rose steadily in the afternoon. Despite the 22.03 percent turnout, 1,485 fewer people voted in the council election compared to the April 20 school budget vote, which had a 31.1 percent return.

At Ridgewood High School, District 12 (34 percent) brought in the highest percentage of voters with 228 of 290 voters approving Walsh. Edging it out by three voters, District 11 (Travell School) had the highest total number of voters with 293—with Walsh (214) and Riche (203) significantly beating Cronk (74) and Dowd (62).

The areas surrounding Valley Hospital and Graydon appeared to be strongholds for Walsh and Riche, and the votes support that. Cronk and Dowd won their own districts near Willard School (Districts 1, 2, and 3), but not with the same margins that Walsh and Riche pulled in.

In fact, Dowd (110) barely edged out Riche (107) and Walsh (105) in Willard's District 3.

For the school budget election, an average of 33.8 percent turned out among the first three districts. Tuesday, those precincts averaged 24 percent. A poll worker at District 2 said there was a line in the morning out the door in April, but Tuesday saw barely any backup.

Candidates, current council members, family and friends gathered at Village Hall last night to watch results come in. After final numbers were posted, Cronk and Dowd congratulated the victors.

"Obviously, we're disappointed. We thought we did it the right way. We did our homework," Cronk said.

Dowd concurred, saying, "It was a shame the turnout was low."

A driving force in the election was the roles played by activist groups the Preserve Graydon Coalition and the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood. Both groups endorsed Walsh and Riche.

When asked about a resistance to change in Ridgewood, Cronk rephrased the question. "I don't think it's resistance, it's more stagnation versus keeping the status quo. People want to keep the village the way we love it."

Some people voted along the Cronk-Dowd, Walsh-Riche line, while others picked candidates as they saw fit.

William Chelak voted for Cronk and Walsh.

"I think this is an important election, and we need the right people for council," he said. "The hospital issue is a key one for me. I'm against expansion, and I like the way Cronk and Walsh presented information."

Another male resident supported Walsh and Riche, "Because they are the ones who do not want to put in a concrete pool." Cronk and Dowd never publicly favored or rejected a plan on Graydon, but Walsh and Riche spoke out against it.

A female resident voted for Cronk and Dowd based on their opinions on the pool. "We need some new perspectives on the pool, and other issues. It's not the most important issue, but I think they want to move the town forward."

An elderly man felt like there should be a greater female presence on council. With Zusy as the only councilwoman, he felt Walsh would think outside the box. He also voted for Cronk based on the way the candidate presented himself.

Alin Du Bois is a lifelong Ridgewood resident and stability is important to him. He supported Riche and Walsh, as "they'll preserve the general landscape. They're more apt to think about the long-term impact, while I think Cronk and Dowd are thinking about the short term when it comes to Valley and Graydon." 

Riche and Walsh will replace outgoing Mayor David Pfund and Councilman Patrick Mancuso. "Mayor Pfund and Pat Mancuso offered to answer any questions we had and will help get us up to speed," Walsh said. "We can use a lot of people as great tools."

Riche and Walsh will be sworn in July 1, with a new mayor and deputy mayor appointed at the subsequent reorganization meeting.