Joseph McGuire – Mayor
Joe is no stranger to community service or elected positions. He served on the Northvale Board of Education for 7 years from 2011-2017 with 5 of those years serving as its President. During that time, he presided over major school security upgrades, technology advancements for students and staff, increases in student achievement and a shared services agreement with the Borough.
Joe has been very active in youth sports programs having served as a coach in Northvale recreation programs since 2006 and as Assistant Basketball Director for the past 6 years. He has also spent much of his time coaching in the St. Anthony’s Friars basketball program for 10 years and serving as its Director for several seasons. He has participated on several Northvale Town Day committees and actively worked on the Northvale Centennial Celebration committee in 2016.
Joe holds a Master of Arts Degree in Corporate & Organizational Communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from La Salle University in Philadelphia. He has worked for a major wireless telecommunications company as a sales executive for the past 15 years.
Joe has been married to his wife Sue for 22 years and his two sons, John and Robert, attend Northern Valley High School at Old Tappan. He is a member of St. Anthony’s Parish in Northvale as well as the Knights of Columbus Council #9021.
Kara McMorrow – Council President
In 2021, propelled by a deep-seated desire to extend her contributions to the Borough of Northvale, Kara made it her mission to proudly serve on the Northvale Council. Her tenure has been marked by her passion to serve in various vital roles as a liaison. Notably, Kara has been an integral part of the Northvale Ambulance Corp for 15 years, currently serving as its Vice President, showcasing her dedication to community health and safety. Her collaboration with the Northvale Police Department has been instrumental in the successful implementation of the Hogan Park Camera Project, alongside supporting the expansion of the department, thereby enhancing community safety. Additionally, Kara’s influence extends to fully supporting the nurturing of young minds as the liaison to the Northvale Pre-School, and she has played a pivotal role in the Community Events Committee, enriching the town’s cultural and social fabric.
Kara’s approach to leadership is grounded in open-mindedness, honesty and hands-on involvement. She holds a deep belief in the value of diversity, celebrating the unique contributions of every community, irrespective of difference in opinions, beliefs, values or political affiliation. To Kara, Northvale is more than a place; it’s home, and it is our common unifier that binds us all together. Faced with tough decisions, Kara remains steadfast in her commitment to informed decision-making, always prioritizing the best interests of Northvale and its residents. Her vision for Northvale is not just to maintain its charm and safety but to enhance it in ways that lift every member of the community. As she seeks re-election, Kara McMorrow stands as a beacon of hope and progress for Northvale, embodying the spirit of service and community that defines Northvale at its core.
As an alumna from Northvale Public Schools, Immaculate Heart Academy, University of Scranton (B.S. Elementary Education) and Iona College (MS, Educational Technology), transitioned from a decade in elementary education to the corporate world, bringing her deep passion for children’s welfare and education. Highly involved in her daughter’s life, Kara’s professional role now aligns with her love for planning and helping others. Outside work, she enjoys cooking, traveling, country music concerts, Broadway shows and quality time with her family, including her husband Mike and daughter Molly. Kara’s service to others is far from over, and she invites you to join her in continuing to forge a bright, inclusive future for the Borough of Northvale.
Domenic Menafra
Today he and his wife are proud to raise their two daughters here. If you have met Dom, it has likely been at Veterans Park or Hogan Field where he has been significantly involved in coaching co-ed and girls soccer for Northvale Recreation for the past several years. He often organized and led extra training and pick up game sessions for soccer along with his fellow coaches to help players improve their skills, volunteering even more of his time than is typically required during the season. And whether it is home renovation, coaching, or just about anything else, Dom is always looking at ways to make things better and work collaboratively with others.
You may have gotten a chance to talk to Dom at Northvale School before pick-up or heard him lector at St. Anthony’s where he has served for more than a decade. He has invested his time, money, and most importantly his family in Northvale and is dedicated to improving the town by leading it technologically into the 21st century and by serving as a financial steward to help make town expenditures more predictable and transparent. Dom also works locally in Rockleigh as a Software Engineering Manager, delivering cutting edge home automation and control solutions for Crestron Electronics. He holds both bachelors and masters degrees in Computer Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and has worked previously in both the telecom and healthcare industries. Dom’s experience with professional leadership and team building are skills he intends to use to help make Northvale not just a good place to live, but the best place to live.
Marty Mattessich
Outside of sports, he was instrumental in helping educate the community when the request to build apartments above the Northvale Plaza was before the board. He encouraged the community to attend planning meetings to understand the process so their voice could be heard. He has also volunteered for many town community events over the years, whenever help was needed, he was there.
As a son of immigrants, Marty has always been a hard worker. He started his career as an Electrician and quickly moved into Sales. He is a previous business owner and is currently working as a Salesman for IPS – Integrated Power Services.
Now that his children have graduated college, he is ready to take on a new responsibility and is running for Council. As a Councilman he wants to continue giving back, keep our community a great place to live and raise a family, have the ability to participate in local government to make a difference and maintain responsible, transparent leadership and fiscal responsibility. He is looking forward to working together with the Mayor and Council bringing a fresh and positive approach to government.
If you are on social media, go to the Northvale GOP page, like and share. Marty and the other candidates will be adding some short videos to get to know them better before the election.
Roy Sokoloski
Roy has been instrumental in keeping Northvale as one of the most affordable towns in the Northern Valley. He is proud of his efforts to cut budgets and maintain lower taxes. As an Architect with a successful business, he has also provided advice and guidance on community planning and design issues. Roy is active as a member of Saint Anthony’s Church, on the Finance Committee and Choir member.
As your candidate for Council in 2024, Roy will be a strong proponent for sensible cost-efficient town government, and for full transparency and community engagement.
Laura Fernandez
Hovannes Bakalian
Hovannes’ experience in property management has also given him first-hand knowledge of how individuals can make a difference in their neighborhoods and the people they serve. Hovannes continues to be known for his collaborative and engaging approach with the communities and groups he is involved with, and aims to leverage his relationships to help address Northvale’s needs and shared interests.
Hovannes is married Tania and they have three children, Never, Emma and Chloe. As Hovannes has become more involved in town, he is very motivated to give back and continue to make Northvale the best kept secret in in the Northern Valley.