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Waldwick honors firefighter Joseph Orvitz and bids farewell to two council members
Summary
At the Dec. 16 recessed session the Waldwick Borough Council presented a plaque to firefighter Joseph Orvitz for long service and publicly thanked outgoing Councilwoman Michelle Weber and Councilman Mark Rundo; both departing members delivered farewell remarks.
The Waldwick Borough Council used its Dec. 16 recessed meeting to honor firefighter Joseph Orvitz for decades of service and to recognize departing Councilwoman Michelle Weber and Councilman Mark Rundo.
Mayor Tom Gordano presented a plaque honoring Joseph Orvitz, describing his decades-long participation in the fire department and civic life. "A firefighter's heart is the heart of compassion," the mayor said, adding that such service requires "a heart that says, 'Yes, I will take your burden on my shoulder. I will in all humanity be your hero.'" The mayor listed Orvitz's long service roles in the department and said Orvitz remains active in local volunteer emergency services.
The council also publicly thanked Councilwoman Michelle Weber and Councilman Mark Rundo for their service. Councilwoman Weber told colleagues and residents: "Serving on the Waldwick Borough Council has been a true honor," and offered thanks to family, staff and fellow council members. She urged continued "respectful debate" as essential to good government.
Outgoing council president Mark Rundo praised municipal staff and the mayor and congratulated incoming council members Angela and Courtney. He also thanked individual staff by name for their support during his term: "Tatiana, Kelly, and Melissa were a constant guiding light," he said, and singled out Colleen for finance guidance. Both departing members accepted plaques and were applauded by attendees.
The mayor announced that the citizen-of-the-year honoree could not attend because of illness and that the council plans to present that honor at the next meeting. The session closed after an adjournment motion moved by Michelle Weber and seconded by Mark Rundo.
(Transcript notes: the mayor’s tribute records Orvitz’s service beginning in 1975; the plaque text on the record lists "1975 to 2005" but the mayor described the recognition as 50 years of service. The article reflects the mayor’s stated 50-year recognition and uses the corrected span 1975–2025 for clarity.)
