Five Questions with Cedar Grove's Mayor

Mayor John Zunic has been serving as mayor of Cedar Grove since July of 2011. 

What aspects of your job do you find appealing?

The most appealing part of being the mayor has been speaking with members of the town. When people call and have a complaint they always want to talk to the mayor, which is fine by me because it gives me direct interaction with the residents.

I also enjoy speaking engagements. Recently, I was called to speak with second-graders at North End Elementary School because they were studying different levels of government. That was a lot of fun and the questions second-graders ask are always quite interesting. They ask: “Are you allowed to vote for yourself? How many times can you vote for yourself? Where is the jail in Cedar Grove?” It was a lot of fun.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

The very little spare time I do have, I enjoy spending with my family. My daughter is involved in competitive dance and my son is involved in baseball and other sports. There's not too much free time and I'm sure many parents in Cedar Grove can sympathize.

We do take the occasional vacation here or there and visit Croatia which is where my parents were born. We stay right by the beach. It's a nice small town and it's beautiful there. We also like to cruise or go anywhere in the Caribbean. Aruba is a favorite spot.

What is something about yourself that people wouldn't know?

I am diligent about every decision I make, whether it be something in town or something simple like buying a television. It comes from being an attorney, I need to research everything before I make a decision or put my stamp on it. I rarely act on impulse.

Something at first glace may look positive or negative but you always have to research because there's always collateral action for every decision.

What drew you to Cedar Grove?

I was born in Manhattan, then moved to Fairview in Bergen County when I was young. I moved to Cedar Grove after I got married in 1998. I had a friend or two living out here and when I went to see the town we liked what we saw.

When I first stepped into town it never dawned on me that I would one day be the mayor. I had just gotten married, bought a house and started thinking about starting a family. Elections were not yet on my mind.

What would you tell someone if they were thinking of moving to the township?

I would tell them it's a great place to raise a family. We have an excellent police force, low crime, stable taxes, very responsible government leaders, good sports programs and a very nice town pool. We are still close to New York City and close to a lot of different shopping areas and highways. Its a great location.