Victor De Luca, a Democrat, became Maplewood’s mayor in January 2009. As mayor, he leads Township Committee meetings and is considered the head of the municipal government.

The son of a police officer and a high school teacher, De Luca has been active in town politics and civic affairs for a long time. This is the second time he has served as mayor; he held the office from 1998 to 2003.

In addition, he co-founded the Springfield Avenue Partnership and the Hilton Neighborhood Association, and later served as president of both groups. He was also a board member of the Community Coalition on Race, the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce and served on Maplewood's planning board from 1999 to 2003.

He is the president of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, a New York City-based charitable organization that directs grants to environmental justice causes and reproductive health and rights organizations. He is a graduate of Montclair State University.

He chairs the following boards and committees: Public Works, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, Communications and Cultural Affairs.

He holds office hours on the third Thursday of every month, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Library. Otherwise, he can be reached at 973-378-8906 or v.deluca@twp.maplewood.nj.us.