City Clerk
The City Clerk’s Office serves as a central point of contact for residents. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, unless otherwise posted.
The City Clerk’s Office is the hub of Municipal Operations. The City Clerk, who is appointed by the Mayor and Council, by virtue of his or her position, serves as a liaison officer between the Governing Officials and the residents of the City and between the executive and the general body of City personnel.
The Municipal Clerk holds one of the most important and exacting positions in all of municipal government. So important, in fact, that in New Jersey the position is one of the only statutory positions mandated by New Jersey State law and local ordinance. All Municipal Clerks must hold a valid Registered Municipal Clerk certification which is achieved through rigorous educational requirements and testing. The position of the Municipal Clerk is also a tenured position.
The City of Hackensack also has a Deputy City Clerk, who assists the City Clerk in the day to day operations of the Office of the City Clerk. In the absence of the City Clerk, the Deputy City Clerk assumes all of the statutory responsibilities of the position. The Deputy City Clerk is required to hold the same certifications as the City Clerk required by the State of New Jersey.
The role of the Municipal Clerk is so diverse, encompassing a myriad of State statutes and serving all levels of government, that legislation was enacted in 1991 specifically designed to define the core duties of this statutory office. See: N.J.S.A. 40A:9-133. These core duties, along with other duties that may be imposed by state statues, are as follows:
Administrative Officer:
As the Administrative Officer for the City of Hackensack, the City Clerk is responsible for acceptance and processing of applications for licenses and permits, and the issuance of all licenses and permits, except where statute or City ordinance has delegated that responsibility elsewhere. The Office of the City Clerk handles Raffle and Bingo Licenses which include 50/50s and Tricky Trays, Alcoholic Beverage Control Licenses for Plenary Retail Consumption and Retail Distribution Licenses as approved by the State A.B.C., Special Event Permits and Social Affairs Permits, Going Out of Business Sales and Auctions, Landscaping and Snow Permits. Also, under this responsibility, the City Clerk conducts business with other municipal departments as directed by the Mayor and Council, serves as an information officer to the public, the media, and other departments. The City Clerk also certifies to the municipality’s Bond Counsel as to the proper advertising, filing of Supplemental Debt Statement and that no protests have been filed with the municipality as to the adoption of bond ordinances. Other duties of the City Clerk include receiving and forwarding notices of claim against the City, maintenance of the City’s Code, and proper notification and filing of City Official’s Financial Disclosure statements, and acting as the liaison between City Boards and Committees.
Secretary to the Mayor and Council:
As the Secretary to the Governing Body, the City Clerk’s Office acts as the liaison to the public and correspondent on behalf of the Mayor and Council. The City Clerk’s Office provides complete administrative support to the Mayor and Council of the City of Hackensack, including legislative research, preparation of the agenda and all support documents required to conduct public meetings of the City Council. The City Clerk must be present at all Mayor and Council meetings. The City Clerk is to maintain and keep members of the Mayor and Council aware of the Rules of Order for conducting Council Meetings as well as keep an official record of the proceedings of every meeting. Other duties under this position include process, record, file, and advertise legal ads, ordinances, resolutions, and budgets, administer and record oaths of office, and maintain custody of all official records.
Secretary of the Municipal Corporation:
As the Secretary of the Municipal Corporation, the City Clerk is the custodian of the City seal. The City Clerk is to maintain custody of all minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts, and archival records of the Municipal Corporation. The City Clerk attests to the signatures of City Officers and Officials. The Office of the City Clerk maintains receipt of service of all legal documents.
Chief Administrative Officer of All Elections / Election Official:
As the Election Official for the City of Hackensack, the City Clerk is responsible for the all aspects of conducting and certifying the Municipal Election, and carries out the statutory requirements for the Primary and General Elections. The Office of the City Clerk provides voter registration applications and general assistance to voters.
Custodian of Records/ Records Coordinator and Manager:
The City Clerk is the Custodian of all Hackensack Records including but not limited to all ordinances, resolutions, public meeting minutes and agendas, bonds, and contracts. The Office of the Hackensack City Clerk receives, researches, and responds to over 1,000 Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests per year. As the Records Coordinator and Manager, the City Clerk is responsible for implementing local archives and record retention programs as mandated by the State.
Contact Information
- City Clerk
- Deborah Karlsson, R.M.C.
- Allison R. Saabye, R.M.C
Files & Links
*All Council Meetings are open to the public except Executive Sessions.
Please check the home page of the website for any changes in meeting dates/times