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Mayor Paul A. Sarlo


Biography of Mayor Paul A. Sarlo

Paul’s Tenure as Mayor

Paul Sarlo has served as Mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since January 1, 2000. He was re-elected in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. He was a Councilman from 1995-2000 and Chaired the Fire Committee and Public Works Committee, respectively.

As Mayor, Paul has been focused on promoting fiscal responsibility, improving municipal services, expanding and renovating school and athletic facilities, building and improving parks and playgrounds, and investing in the town’s infrastructure.  Under Paul’s leadership, Wood-Ridge has experienced strong financial performance by retiring debt, cutting costs, eliminating future liabilities and improving cash flow and liquidity. Today, Wood-Ridge has a surplus balance in excess of 30% of its operating budget and a credit rating of AA by Standard and Poor’s.

During Paul’s tenure as Mayor the following capital improvements were completed:

  • Wood-Ridge Intermediate School was opened
  • Doyle School was expanded and renovated
  • Wood-Ridge High School was renovated
  • Wood-Ridge High School Gym and Auditorium were renovated
  • Every road was repaved and all sidewalks were replaced
  • 1,000 new trees were planted
  • 14th Street Field and the WR Athletic Complex were built
  • 6th Street Field and Donna Ricker Field at WR High School were renovated
  • Marshall Lane Playground, Kennedy Lane Playground, Kennedy Lane Dog Run, and Highland Avenue Playground at Doyle School were built
  • Veterans Park & Playground on Valley Boulevard, Kour Park and Playground on 13th Street, and Bianchi House Park were renovated
  • The Civic Center, Senior Center, Fire House, and Historic Bianchi House were renovated

During his first term as Mayor, Paul was the guiding force in conceiving and advancing the redevelopment of the former Curtiss Wright aircraft engine factory, which was an abandoned, blighted, and polluted industrial property.  The Curtiss Wright property was a major financial and environmental liability to the Borough that burdened and drained the Borough’s finances for decades prior to the year 2001.  Today, the property is an attractive and vibrant neighborhood, called Wesmont Station, which has positively contributed to the Borough’s community life and financial stability.

In addition to serving as Mayor, Paul has been a member of the New Jersey State Senate since 2003.  He is the Senate’s Deputy Majority Leader and Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
 

Paul’s Personal & Professional Life

Paul was born and raised in Wood-Ridge, along with his siblings Diane, Charles and Tom, by his parents, Providence and the late Anthony “Balbo” who was a long-time coach and umpire in the Wood-Ridge Little League. Paul graduated from Wood-Ridge High School in 1986 where he was a scholar-athlete earning varsity letters in Football, Basketball and Baseball. He was named First Team All-Division and All-County in Baseball and was inducted into the WRHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.

Paul attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology earning B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and was also awarded an honorary Ph.D. in 2022 for his service to the university.  He is a member of NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering Hall of Fame (NCE 100) and is a recipient of its Outstanding Alumnus Award. Paul also played baseball at NJIT for which he earned Division III All-American honors and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Paul is a licensed Professional Engineer and a licensed Professional Planner who works as the Chief Operating Officer of Joseph M. Sanzari Construction Inc., a major transportation and utility contractor that employs over 300 people and performs over $250,000,000 in annual work volume. During his career, Paul has overseen $2 billion dollars in infrastructure projects related to the construction of highways, roads, bridges, and public utility systems.  He was named the Construction Engineer of the Year in 2018 by the New Jersey Professional Engineers in Construction (NJPEC) organization.

Paul and his wife, Connie, have two sons, Anthony and Michael, who both attended Wood-Ridge Public Schools and participated in the town’s recreation programs.  Anthony graduated Lafayette College in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2022. Michael is preparing to report in June 2023 to the U.S. Naval Academy as a member of the Class of 2027. 

Paul is a member of the Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus, is an honorary member of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association, and coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, Junior Football and Junior Basketball.  Paul and his family are parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption Church.