Two Montvale Incumbents Face Uncontested Nov. 3 Vote Amid Data Center Debate

Two Republican incumbents in Montvale will face no opponents in the November 3 borough election. Council President Theresa Cudequest and Councilman Douglas Arendacs are the only names on the ballot for their respective seats, according to election records. The uncontested race occurs as the borough prepares for a legal dispute over affordable housing and a proposed artificial intelligence data center.

Cudequest told the Pascack Press that she opposes a hypothetical large AI data center in Montvale. She cited potential demands on local resources, specifically electricity and water, as her primary concerns. Arendacs did not respond to written requests from the newspaper outlining his positions on the issue.

The central issue involves approximately 34 acres of the former KPMG office campus on Chestnut Ridge Road. The borough and the Fair Share Housing Center disagree on how this property should count toward Montvale’s affordable housing obligations. A hearing on the dispute is scheduled for Superior Court in Hackensack on November 18.

Two development options are currently under consideration for the site. One plan allows for a data center alongside 50 affordable housing units. The other proposes 250 residential units, including 50 affordable units. Borough officials note that the property is already zoned for data center use, but they distinguish conventional facilities from large AI computing centers, which require more electricity and cooling.

A concept for the site included a 322,822-square-foot AI data center. However, officials emphasized that no formal application has been submitted to the Planning Board. Residents and environmental advocates have raised concerns at recent council meetings about electricity and water consumption, noise, and emissions from backup diesel generators.

Cudequest said she would prioritize responsible development and community safety if reelected. She stated she does not support overdevelopment to meet state affordable housing mandates. Instead, she proposed pairing affordable units with community benefits such as recreational facilities or a community center. She aims to ensure growth does not overwhelm local schools, public safety departments, and infrastructure.

Cudequest has served on the Borough Council since December 2021, when she was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Councilwoman Rose Curry. She was selected as council president in January 2026. She is a registered nurse at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and has lived in Montvale for 38 years.