While Orange residents digest their city's leadership changes, Irvington voters are awaiting the Essex County Clerk's Office Election's call on a North Ward council race cliffhanger.

County Clerk Christopher Durkin and Deputy Clerk-Elections Division Eva Yanez told "Local Talk" at 10:23 p.m. May 8 that incumbent David Lyons holds a seven point lead on challenger Richard Williams. That lead may stay or change pending how the count of provisional and/or any emergency ballots go in the Newark Hall of Records May 11.

Counting provisional and/or emergency ballots is one reason why all the clerk's office-derived election result figures remain unofficial until May 21. That 14-day period allows for any recounts or other challenges prior to Durkin's certifying the results as officials.

All voting machines in all six towns that held non-partisan elections in Essex County May 8 will be impounded and watched over by the State Police as a standard procedure. Essex County Sheriff's Officers, according to Orange Council President Tency Eason May 2, were to also be deployed for monitoring at all polling stations May 8.

Dhiren Shah: Mayor Hawkins, welcome to this interview. The election is only two months away. The negative campaigns have been on for the past couple of months. At this juncture, it is very important to focus as a Mayor and run for a second term. Can you tell me what inspired you to run for the second term?

Eldridge Hawkins: The housing project. The demolition of the Walter Alexander Complex and replacing it with two to three stories housing, development of the arts district, 18% to 0% transitional year budget and in 2012, a 0% increase, The reduction of crime 23% from 2007 to 2011. There is still a lot more left to do, and that’s why I am running again. We have a great administrative team. We are looking forward to redeveloping the Orange Memorial Hospital site and train station.

DS: In the beginning of your term, you appointed yourself as Fire Director, and then after there was resistance by the community and the council, you gave up that role. Also, people say that you were supposed to pay back the salary received as Fire Director. Can you elaborate on this matter?

EH: Everything I have done was by the boundaries of law. I was putting full time effort on a weekly basis. I felt that this was a full time job. I was secure with it, but I saw the push back from residents.

On Feb. 29, Orange police announced the arrest of public works employee William Hathaway, charging him with two counts of making terroristic threats against Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. and another city employee

The arrest came after a YouTube video of Hathaway was posted online, with audio of his voice making profane, racially charged, and threatening remarks against the mayor. Included in the comments was a threat to shoot Hawkins in front of his mother and father.

Statement by Orange Police Director John Rappaport

“An employee of the Orange Public Works Department was arrested yesterday (Feb. 28) for threatening the life of Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. William Hathaway, 41, is accused of stating, “F… the mayor, I will kill him and shoot him in the head in front of his mother.” Hathaway is also accused of threatening another city employee, stating, “I am going to have you killed.” He referred to the mayor in racial terms that I am uncomfortable repeating, but the Essex County Prosecutor is investigating the incident as a bias crime.

“On February 24th, the Public Works Department had received a complaint of work place harassment alleging racial slurs, voter intimidation, and death threats made by other employees including a high ranking union member. The Director of Public Works forwarded the complaint to the Orange Police Department for review.

“Investigation revealed credible death threats against Mayor Hawkins and another city worker by William Hathaway, a disgruntled employee. Some of the threats were captured on audio tape. Hathaway was taken into custody and charged with two counts of terroristic threats in violation of N.J.S. 2C: 12-3B. He was released on bail later last night. Collateral investigations are still pending into the involvement of other individuals related to carrying out the death threat and/or covering one up. In response security precautions have been taken.”

The Orange Mayoral election on May 8, 2012 will be very interesting. March 7th is the deadline for filing a petition for the nomination. So far, four people have shown interest in running for the mayoral post: incumbent Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., Edward Marable, Jr., Janice Morrell, and Dwayne Warren.

Warren announced in his campaign kickoff on February 2nd that he was running on a team with incumbent councilman Elroy Corbitt, Dwight Holmes, and April Gaunt-Butler for councilmember-at-large. There are three councilmember-at-large positions up for grabs.

The kickoff event was held at Southern Café on Central Avenue in Orange, and I noticed about 110 people there.

On Monday, February 7th, I interviewed the mayoral candidate for our readers to get to know him and make their own decision.