DEMOCRATIC STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF NORTH ARLINGTON MAYOR JOSEPH BIANCHI BY COUNCILMAN MARK YAMPAGLIA:

The passing of Mayor Joseph Bianchi is a tragic and devastating loss for our community and pulls at the very fabric of North Arlington.

Mayor Bianchi’s decades of public service as a volunteer firefighter, member and chairman of the North Arlington Planning Board as well as his elected service as a councilman and mayor are to be admired and praised.  

I have had the distinct pleasure and honor to serve with Mayor Bianchi during most of my time as a borough councilman and I always found the Mayor to be bipartisan, independent and dedicated to the cause of honest an open government.

He was nothing but considerate and fair and always put North Arlington first!

Mayor Bianchi was a gentleman and a tremendous ambassador for the North Arlington brand.

I consider Mayor Bianchi a friend, colleague and neighbor.

His salon Pal Joey’s is a North Arlington institution and his strong presence as a businessman enabled him to empathize with our local retailers along Ridge Road.

Mayor Bianchi placed community over politics and service above self.

I am temporarily suspending my campaign so that Mayor Bianchi’s passing is appropriately acknowledged and I call on all residents to remember this special individual.

My deepest sympathies condolences are sincerely offered to his wife, children and extended family.

I will reevaluate my efforts moving forward once this time of mourning has been completed next week.

For more information, contact Mr. Yampaglia at (201) 602-2612 or Democratic Chairman Nick Antonicello at (201) 937-4277.

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About Mark Yampaglia:

Mark Yampaglia is the Democratic nominee for Mayor of North Arlington and his council running-mates are former mayor and current BCUA Commissioner Peter Massa and retired CFO Josie Papile.

All are life-long residents.

A graduate of Queen of Peace elementary and North Arlington HS, Yampaglia played varsity baseball for the Vikings.

A graduate of FDU with a BA and MA, Yampaglia earned his JD from the Touro School of Law and is in private practice with offices in Rutherford.

Yampaglia is a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa.

The son of retired Municipal Judge Emil Yampaglia, his brother John is a member of the North Arlington Planning Board.

Married to his wife Shirley who is a nurse, the Yampaglia’s are parishioners of Queen of Peace Church located on Ridge Road.

A former Municipal Defender, Yampaglia was appointed to the North Arlington Borough Council in 2005 and again in 2007, a North Arlington first.

Elected to the Borough Council in 2005 and reelected in 2008, 2011 and 2016, Yampaglia is the ranking member of the governing body.