William J. Dorgan (November 9, 1921 – October 11, 2003) was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, as Mayor of Palisades Park, New Jersey, and as a member of the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Dorgan was born on November 9, 1921, in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, the son of William and Julia Dorgan. He graduated from St. Cecilia High School and attended Seton Hall University. Dorgan served in the US Coast Guard during World War II and was a Commander of VFW Post 4365.
William James Dorgan | |
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Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 13B district | |
In office January 13, 1970 – September 1, 1971 Serving with Thomas Costa | |
Preceded by | Austin Volk |
Succeeded by | Byron Baer Albert Burstein |
Director of Bergen County Freeholders | |
In office January 1968 – January 1969 | |
Preceded by | D. Bennett Mazur |
Succeeded by | Henry Hoebel |
Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders | |
In office 1967 – 1969 and 1973 – 1974 | |
Mayor of Palisades Park | |
In office 1961 – 1964 and 1965 – 1967 | |
Preceded by | Edward Browne |
Succeeded by | Thomas Toscano |
Personal details | |
Born | Cliffside Park, New Jersey | November 9, 1921
Died | October 11, 2003 Deerfield Beach, Florida, U.S. | (aged 81)
Political party | Republican |
William Dorgan served for seven years as the Mayor of Palisades Park (1961 – 1967), and for three years as a Bergen County Freeholder (1967 – 1969).[1] He was a delegate to the 1968 Republican National Convention[2] and a member of President Richard Nixon's Advisory Council to the General Services Administration.[3] Dorgan was elected to the NJ General Assembly in 1969[4] but resigned in August 1971 to accept two governor-appointed posts.[5] Governor Cahill named Dorgan to chair the New Jersey Election Law Revision Commission.[6] He also appointed Dorgan to a senior administrative post with the NJ Turnpike Authority.[7] Dorgan returned to the Board of Freeholders in 1973 to fill a mid-term vacancy on the board.[8] He ran for Freeholder again in November 1974 but was defeated.[9] In 1976, Dorgan was appointed Executive Director of the Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority[10] and retired from the post in 1986.[11]
Dorgan was elected to the NJ General Assembly in November 1969 and served on committees for Federal/State Relations and Taxation, representing East Bergen County.[23] He resigned from the Assembly in mid-1971, accepting appointments to the NJ Turnpike Authority and the NJ Election Law Revision Commission.
Dorgan was elected to a three-year term on the Bergen County Board of Freeholders in 1966. After Republicans regained the majority in November 1967, Dorgan was named Executive Director[28] and led a bipartisan effort to reform the county charter.[29] Ultimately the NJ Assembly failed to approve the charter changes.[30] He returned as Freeholder, replacing June Clark who resigned from the board in November 1973. In the wake of Watergate, he lost his November 1974 bid for another term.
Dorgan defeated incumbent Democrat Edward Brown in 1960[35] and served two consecutive two-year terms. Following a voided election in November 1964, Dorgan won a special election in August 1965. In 1966, he ran a dual candidacy, winning races in both the county and municipal governments. Following an unsuccessful legal challenge by Democrats, Dorgan held freeholder and mayor posts in 1967.[36] Dorgan resigned as mayor on January 1, 1968.[37]