To Our Neighbors and Residents,

The City of Hackensack has recently been tested by a series of historic snowfalls. For many of you, these storms were more than just weather events; they were a significant disruption to your daily lives. We know that for many, the City felt impassable—whether you were commuting to work, trying to reach a pharmacy for a loved one, or walking a child to school this morning.

As your Mayor and Council, we believe in lead-by-example governance. That begins with an honest admission: Hackensack fell short.

We have heard your concerns, and we are committed to ensuring our recovery matches the standard of excellence our community deserves.

To fix the future, we must be transparent about the state of the infrastructure inherited when this administration assumed office on July 1, 2025. For over a decade, a pattern of cost-cutting and declined equipment requests allowed our critical snow removal fleet to atrophy.

A recent assessment revealed a stark reality:

• Of the nine large trucks required to clear our main roads, only one was in reliable condition. The rest were 20, 30, and even 35 years old. Several were so unsafe, our City Manager ordered that they be removed from service, as they were a potential liability.

• Of the 36 total vehicles in our snow removal fleet, 11 are currently out of service. Nearly one-third of our capacity was sidelined due to mechanical failure during the height of the storm.

• The City utilized 500 tons of salt in just four days. Despite placing an order for 550 more tons, a statewide shortage resulted in us only receiving a hundred tons of what we were expecting, requiring our teams to manage the remaining supply with extreme precision.

While the results on the pavement were not what we envisioned, we extend our deepest gratitude to our DPW workers, Police, Fire, and Volunteer Ambulance Corps, who worked grueling 16-hour shifts in undesirable conditions.

Our Police Department alone handled 457 calls for service during the storm, and all municipal time off was restricted to ensure a maximum-effort response. They cannot be faulted for the limitations of their tools; they did the absolute best they could with an aging fleet that was neglected for years before we took office.

During this storm, the City issued nearly 200 summonses and towed 70 vehicles to clear paths on critical arteries like Prospect Avenue, Hudson Street, State Street, and Anderson Street. Our tow yards were filled to capacity, often leaving officers waiting over an hour for trucks to return.

However, to be clear, the goal is not enforcement—it is compliance.

Our workers cannot plow what they cannot reach. On narrow roads, especially in the 1st Ward, where street configurations make it impossible for large trucks to fit, a single parked car can prevent an entire block from being cleared. Every hour an officer spends managing a tow is an hour they are pulled away from emergency duties.

We appeal to your sense of shared responsibility: when a storm is anticipated, please move your vehicles. It is the only way we can clear our streets and make our roads safe.

The City is balancing fiscal responsibility with the urgent need to invest in your quality of life. We are not just aiming for adequate service; we want Hackensack to be the envy of Bergen County.

• We have utilized a portion of the $1.3 million that accumulated in a dormant storm trust fund to fast-track fleet replacement.

• In just the last two weeks, the City put three new plow-equipped vehicles into service.

• We are awaiting delivery of a new 350 pickup, a transport trailer, a high-capacity snowblower, and three Bobcat machines specifically chosen to navigate the narrow street configurations of the 1st Ward and other tight spaces where our large trucks cannot safely fit.

• We are prioritizing the recruitment of CDL-certified employees and exploring the feasibility of creating a part-time, as needed “emergency shoveler” program for hydrants and public walkways, similar to what has been done to great effect in New York City.

As your Mayor and Council, we recognize our responsibility to communicate directly and honestly with you—whether we are celebrating victories or acknowledging where we have room for improvement. We are committed to being solutions-oriented, and we hope you will join us in that effort.

We have a road ahead of us to reach the level of efficiency we envision, but united, we will get there. Hackensack is our shared home, and we thank you for your patience, your feedback, and the pride you take in our community.

Sincerely,

The Mayor and City Council of Hackensack