(Courtesy of Norman Schmelz for Mayor) Mayor Norman Schmelz is planning on making an official announcement of his reelection campaign this Sunday, March 3, at Bergenfield Borough Hall on North Washington Avenue, in Bergenfield at 2 p.m.

Norman, as he is known, has been mayor of Bergenfield since 2013, when he won a special election to succeed the late Mayor Driscoll after his passing. Norman was reelected in 2015. In 2018, he was the Republican candidate for county executive.

Norman is proud that with him at the helm Bergenfield has this past year had a 0 percent increase in taxes in the municipal portion of the tax bill.

Additionally, Bergenfield has undertaken a massive road and infrastructure project to maintain, upkeep and rebuild its infrastructure at minimal taxpayer cost.

Bergenfield’s bond rating has recently been upgraded as well, saving its taxpayers more money as the borough has refinanced their short-term bonds to long-term notes locking in a great rate.

Norman was also an advocate in consolidating Bergenfield’s aging municipal complex with a neighboring town that would have saved Bergenfield taxpayers millions of dollars in construction and staffing costs for years to come. Unfortunately, that plan never came to fruition.

Norman is taking an active role in the rehab and rebuilding of Bergenfield’s aging municipal complex. This is also being done with the intention of providing productive services to its taxpayers and residents, while at the same time keeping the cost of the construction and rehabilitation affordable and minimal to its taxpayers.

Norman has taken pride that Bergenfield is a safe place for its residents to live. Not just physical safety but as a cohesive community with many people from many different backgrounds, cultures, religions and beliefs.

Norman has been an innovator in the use of social media in promoting Bergenfield and local civic events. His constant use of “selfies” with constituents on social media led his political opponents to label him as “Mayor Selfie.” However, that tactic backfired, and his supporters and friends and neighbors refer to him by that name as a badge of honor. His “selfies” are referred to as “Schmelfies,” which is a play on his last name.

Norman, a lifelong resident of Bergenfield, is married with three children who have all grown up in Bergenfield.