John D. Bendo

JOHN D. BENDO

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Bendo, 58, is running for his second term. Bendo was first elected to a four-year term in 2017 and has served as City Council president since January 2020.
• He earned an associate degree in engineering science from Farmingdale State College, a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power program. He served six years in the U.S. Navy.
• Bendo worked for more than 20 years at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, where he last served as the business development manager for Clean Energy Technologies.

ISSUES:

• Bendo said he helped expose the payout scandal that led to a state comptroller's audit and investigation showing $750,000 in questionable separation payments and vacation drawdowns made to city employees. The city has filed a series of lawsuits seeking to recoup some of the payments.
• Bendo said the new City Council has worked to turn around the city's finances and appointed the city's first Black woman as city manager, replacing a series of interim appointments since 2017.
• The city hired a team of financial advisers and restructuring attorneys to manage $128 million in bonded debt and $340 million in other liabilities and obligations such as legal judgments and pension costs. Will look for new revenue streams, such as parking meters in the central business district.