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Just visit the city website to join. And if you have something to share, the newsletter includes a community bulletin for local [music] announcements and events. Send your submissions to news@hackensack.org. Frank, do you hear the feedback? Okay, thanks. All right, calling this
meeting to order of the Hackensack City Council. It is 6:30 p.m. This is a special meeting. This is Monday, April 6th, 2026. If we can have the call to order, please. This meeting is being held in accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6
et seq., notice of which was posted on the municipal website pursuant to Public Law 2025, Chapter 72. Thank you. Roll call, please. Mayor Gaines? Here. Deputy Mayor Toomey? Here. Councilman Carroll? Here. Councilwoman Clark Collins? Here. Councilman Diaz?
Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. Please rise to the flag, salute. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you. There is no approval of the minutes. This is a special meeting. Um no resolution for executive session, no proclamations or presentations. We are moving on to reports and presentations from professionals and department heads, and we are going to call up our CFO, Jim Megan.
Uh thank you, Mayor. Uh tonight we'll be uh introducing the 2026 municipal budget. And uh before we get into the budget itself, let me just uh explain a little bit about the process, okay? And about um the process
in general, and then about the city of Hackensack uh budget, okay? The the budget process here starts at the end of the year, okay? What what happens is I issue budget worksheets to all of the departments, okay? And the budget worksheet includes um expenditures
for the entire year, in this case 2025, along with a 5-year history of their budget. Now, every department's budget is broken up into two sections, salaries and wages and other expenses. And department heads don't have much
control. They really have any control over salaries and wages. So, the budgets that the department heads get are strictly other expenses. And the worksheet is what they're requesting in their other expense budget. And we've
got 18 departments, you know, so 18 department heads, and they're working on that at the end of the year. Uh while they're working on that, the year ends, I close the books. Uh after I close the books, I'm working on the salaries
budget. And after the salaries budget, then I'm putting together the rest of the budget, which would be not just the salaries, it'd be the revenues, the other things like utilities, debt, capital, everything else. And then put
the entire budget together, all right? And then you've got, you know, what I call draft one. I go over that with the city manager. We see what it looks like, and it's it's usually pretty ugly. Um uh what we do is we go through it, and we
make um the fairly obvious cuts, because it includes a wish list, you know, of what everybody wants. Okay? We get that down to draft two, and that's when we uh present it to the finance committee. And then the finance
committee uh makes the changes that they want to see, and we put that together, okay? That then becomes uh draft three, and that's the budget that we'll be introducing tonight. Okay?
Uh now, as far as our budget goes, uh the tax levy increase this year is very high. It's 10.25%, and yeah, that is a high tax levy increase. Um as I said in the the memo
that I sent out to you, the departments make requests, okay? And we know that spending goes up, okay? Spending does go up, all right? But at the same time, what we're trying to do is bring up our non-tax revenue.
Ideally, we bring up non-tax revenue to the same level as the spending goes up, and that's how you stabilize taxes, okay? Sometimes there are items, spending increases, that are beyond our control, uh and there are, you know?
Now, it would be easy for me to say, uh and and I'm sure this year a lot of CFOs in municipalities and a lot of business administrators in school districts are saying to their governing bodies, "Yes, uh there's there's all
these costs that are out of our control, runaway health costs and utility costs, you know? Um so, [clears throat] uh all of this this tax increase is beyond our control." Be easy to say that. And and that's that's a partial truth, okay?
There are aspects to this year's tax increase that were under our control last year. Um and uh and quite frankly, we dropped the ball. Uh a budget you have I'm and I'm saying this because this is our first
budget together, okay? And and to be quite frank, I'm I'm kind of proud of this budget. 10 and 1/2% tax increase, I get that, all right? But it's a sound budget and as compared to last year, but let me
explain that, okay? The um >> [clears throat] >> when you look at a budget, you really need to look at it as a 2-year event, okay? You have to look at a budget as to what it's going to do next year. If the budget's great this year and it's
not good next year, it's not a good budget, okay? Budget has to be good this year, next year, and even beyond that. That's a good budget, okay? Um and this budget
does that. Um and it does that in a in a in a in a big way. Now, I'll explain quickly um the um some of the increases, but before I get into that, let me just jump back to the process for a second. So, tonight we'll be introducing the
budget, okay? At the next council meeting, which is the April 21st meeting, I'll be doing a full uh presentation for the public and really getting into the details of everything. I'm not getting into all the details tonight. I'm just going to give you an overview.
At the following budget uh at the following meeting, which would be the May 5th meeting, that's when we would have the public hearing on the budget, and then we'll vote on adoption, assuming we've gotten state approval, okay? After after tonight, budget's
introduced, I'm going to transmit it to the state tomorrow, and the state will uh you know, uh they'll either grant us approval or they'll send it back to me with changes that have to be made, okay? And I'll make the changes, and
they'll give me the green light to adopt before the public hearing, yes or no, okay? All right. Jumping back to our budget now, okay? Um as I said, there there were there were there were
decisions that you make, okay? That impact the future. And the reason I said that this budget does that in a big way is because this budget is a is a retooling, okay?
What the budget has to do, first thing a budget has to do is make sure it's got enough money in here to do what it is that the governing body wants to do. And the budget does do that, okay? And not only that, budget has to do it has to be
able to do it in the way that the governing body wants to do it to do that. Now, that requires some restructuring, and it usually generally requires us putting more funding in
certain areas that were underfunded in prior years, and it does that. Now, it doesn't that doesn't mean that you start putting money here and you stop putting money there. You you can't do that, okay? You can put money
where it belongs, okay? And you can work down other areas, but you can't just pull the plug in other areas, you know? That's there's a process to that, okay? So, this budget does do that. Does put money where we need it. It does retool.
Um it does put in uh an an awful lot of oversight [snorts] that didn't exist before, okay? Again, at the presentation, I'll get into details. There are aspects of this budget that I I really like. They
address issues that have been issues for years. Um just as an example, um the uh the financial operation of the police department. For years has there's been a structural financial imbalance in
the police department. >> [snorts] >> I recognized it and couldn't take care of it. Fortunately, the chief also recognized it. And uh when we got together, um we saw eye to eye on it, and we're
taking care of it. Did [snorts] the police budget go up this year? Yes, it did. Um you know, it was absolutely necessary. Um and that's a good thing because it's it's avoiding the financial disaster that could have happened. And if that financial disaster
happened, yeah, you'd see a tax increase that you wouldn't believe, you know? So, I'm very proud of the fact that this budget addresses that issue. Should have been addressed a long time ago. And there are other aspects to this budget, okay?
Um just quickly the total spending went up 7. Well, one to eliminate the Board of Ed transfer, the 6 and 1/2 billion dollars, which is in this budget, okay? It's in this budget
under spending. And then 6 and 1/2 million is on the revenue side coming from surplus. So, it has no impact on the tax increase, you know? It's on the spending side, it's on the revenue side. So, it's tax neutral.
Okay? Take it away from the spending. The spending's up 7.2 million. I'm sorry, 7.1 million. Of that spending increase um 6. Yeah, 6.1 million of it is the health benefit issue.
I'll get into details about that on uh at the budget presentation. The other 900,000 of our spending increase is an increase to the BCUA bill, the Bergen County Utilities Authority, who processes our sewerage.
I'll explain more about that at the budget presentation. So, with the exception of those two items, our spending has actually stayed flat from last year, okay? Which is uh which is an accomplishment considering the
fact that we did have to raise certain areas like the police department and certain salary areas that you see on the executive summary, okay? Um and then on the revenue side, I'll explain that at the presentation, there
were changes that we had to make there. Um The reason I'm proud of this budget and the reason that I give the governing body a lot of credit because a budget like this uh takes courage. 10
and 1/2 uh 10. A 10.2% increase. It takes a lot of courage. It is and I'm I'm saying it, it's in my opinion, it is necessary. It's necessary to do it now
and you will reap the benefits in the future because you're building a structure, a sound financial structure. And I'll be the first to admit
last year's budget, there were occasions where we didn't follow the same conservative fiscally sound budget practices that we had in
prior years. And what happened? We're paying for it this year. Okay? That won't happen next year because of this budget. Now, if there's problems next year, okay? Uh they will be things that are
unforeseen right now. They won't be problems with this budget, okay? So, again, we're looking at a a 10.2% uh increase to the tax levy, all right? At the uh next meeting when I do the budget presentation, I'll get into the
spending increase and I'll get into the um uh the challenges in revenue that are contributing to that increase. The um executive summary uh that I sent to you with your packets, um
well, this is a copy of the state budget document, okay? This is what will be posted on the city website tomorrow. Uh this is what I'll be transmitting to the state uh electronically tomorrow. Now,
part of what we do is I have to make copies of this uh available to the public. They'll be in the clerk's office, anybody that wants them. Um they're also available to you if you want them, okay? It's a lot of It's a lot of documents, uh a lot of pages, and
it's the exact same information that I sent to you in a bureaucratic uh publicly unfriendly uh version, okay? But but it is available if you want them, you can get it from Tim. And um because
you you see, we'll be doing a resolution tonight to read the budget by title. In order to to be able to read the budget by title, we have to make copies available to the public. They'll be available in the uh in the clerk's office. Okay? Um so, that's the process and
that's a very, very brief overview of what our budget looks like and I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have right now. And keep in mind, I'll be answering any questions at all in more detail at the next meeting. But right now, if you have anything, I'd be
happy to answer. I'll ask you, Mr. Mangan, how are you? Good. How are you, Phil? So, um I understand that um So, within the deficit of the
10 million that you're going to introduce, how much of that >> sorry, but not a deficit. That's the tax levy increase. I'm sorry. 7.2 Uh in in finance, everything has a has a real definition, okay? So,
my question is this. So, the pilot programs that were created before our time, does that have an impact on what you're talking about today?
Um If it was done the right way? Oh, okay, I see what you're saying. The um yeah, we we're this year in 2026, we're changing the way that we're billing pilots. And the way that we're the the change to billing pilots will do
two things, okay? They will bring in additional revenue in 2026, okay? Which will go to surplus and help to regenerate our surplus. That's the first thing. The second thing is they will go they'll
be they'll enable us to increase our anticipated revenue in the 2027 budget. What they can't do is they can't be used to increase our anticipated revenue in this budget because we can only
anticipate as much as we took in last year. But so, to answer your question, Phil, do they impact this? Yes, they do, okay? Because had we been doing it this different way, we would be anticipating more in 2026
and that tax increase would be lower. I I think, I don't know if this is what the councilman was getting at, but if not, I'll I'll make it a separate question. But I think part of the question is um I'll phrase it this way. Can you describe a little bit
for the taxpayer what the impact is of having properties that were previously ratable properties that have then come off the tax rolls because while we collect
revenue, the revenue is not taxes. So, I think part of the question about the impact on pilots in terms of this budget and frankly just the overall landed number that people have to pay, um
can you just give a a macro level view of how those 20 plus properties are impacting what people actually are seeing in their bill? It's in their tax bill. Yeah. Um
When a pilot is given to an empty lot, okay? That empty lot comes off the tax rolls, okay? Now, the empty lot, you're paying the the developer that owns that empty lot
is paying taxes on the land. You always pay taxes on the land, okay? So, when it comes off the tax rolls, it's not much. It's very little. It's taxes on an empty lot coming off the tax rolls, all right? >> [snorts] >> What we're seeing now, and if you look
around the city, you see it. Uh they're not empty lots, you know? It's the the YMCA building, Spruce the Bed King, um the the credit union building. These are large structures that are
paying sizable taxes and they're being demolished and they're coming off the tax rolls. Okay, yes, we will see a pilot, okay? And you can say, "Oh, it's good. We're going to see the pilot. Hey, that's good." It's two sides to every story, okay?
You're also They're also coming off the tax rolls, okay? Which lowers our overall assessments. That affects everybody, you know? Okay, I'm the first to admit that when and I and I've done this. I've I've done
presentations on pilots and I still say this to this day that the pilot program did help the schools, you know? And I still say that. Um when it was implemented in 2014.
And and I did in in uh 2021, I did a PowerPoint and I showed how it helped the schools. It's 2026 now, okay? It's It's a a ball game. The PILOTs that are happening now are large
parcels with large tax bills coming off the tax rolls, okay? That lowering the assessment when assessments go down, the tax rates go up. When the tax rates go up, people's tax bills go up. But
So I do understand that. So us as a government here when the uh average Joe stops me in ShopRite and knows me and says
why is my taxes going up 10%? And I could say to them that the PILOTs haven't took effect or it's just the spending and believe me, I know about the medical insurance and the raises and all
that. But there comes a time where this the PILOTs, I think, were overloaded, not with us. We're trying to keep a a lid on that, but what would be my answer? What do you think? Yeah. Now, you mentioned health
benefits, Bill, and I'm sorry and I and I have to say this that that in this particular budget, yeah, health benefits are the main driver of this tax increase. But what you could say to that homeowner and I'll be saying it because they're
they're no in my condo, they're definitely going to be stopping me. Um that yes, while it's true that the health benefits are a big cause of this tax increase, all right? Um the
the way the PILOTs are being billed right now certainly aren't helping the problem, but this administration is taking steps to correct that for next year and going forward. Similarly with health benefits. And again, I'm not getting into the details
tonight. We will be here all night, but I will get into the details at the next meeting. We've taken steps to correct the health benefit issue, which like will also um help us in next year's budget and going
forward. Not just help us in the medical claims of next year's budget, but will help us in our stop-loss premium insurance in next year's budget and beyond that, okay? So while yes, health benefits are the big driver
in this tax increase, that's true, but we are taking steps to correct it going forward. Jim, I just want to I don't want to belabor the point cuz I know that there's this is the the preview to the real presentation. This is the the trailer here. >> [laughter]
>> But I I do want to make this point cuz I think it's important. Last year around this time we spent a lot of time in mailers and on doorsteps talking about whether or not PILOT payments were taxes. And for some
reason, the previous governing body insisted that they were taxes even though the PILOT is an acronym for payments in lieu of taxes, they are definitionally not taxes. But the reason why it's important to
clarify this is because of moments like these and conversations that the councilman's talking about in terms of people trying to make sense of this who are everyday folks because while PILOTs do generate some revenue
some revenue, not the full extent as if they were paying conventional taxes when they come off the tax rolls, that has an impact on the rest of us. And and I'm saying this in a simplistic sense, but
it is not unfair to say that the everyday person to some extent is subsidizing the impact of the having these large parcels come off the tax rolls. And so it's not immaterial, this conversation about whether or not PILOTs
are taxes or just other revenue. Um it's a it's a conversation of consequence and we're seeing the consequences of that now. Um as you said, we'll continue to do things as a governing body to make sure that we are
being responsible to our taxpayers residential and commercial. Um we're taxpayers as well, so we we get it. But I think some of the discourse
over the last several of years has really set us up um improperly for this moment now where the bill is due because people have had PILOT revenue conflated with taxable revenue. See, and then that's the point right there
because that whole discussion last year of are PILOTs taxes only talked about the revenue and didn't talk about coming off the tax rolls, you know? And that's where uh the the the taxability
hurt. If they weren't taxes, they wouldn't hurt. They hurt. You know, our valuations dropped. And why did they drop? They dropped for two reasons, okay? We had a lot of tax appeals. Tax appeals lower assessments.
And as new PILOTs come on, new PILOTs that have been previously approved you know, as they start up you know, those commercial properties go from a commercial assessment to a tax-exempt assessment. Off the
rolls they go. And actually, and I'll just say this, uh today I was reading online, tomorrow to be in the paper. And there's a whole article in the record about PILOTs in South and Jersey City, Hoboken. They
didn't mention us, though. But um it it was pretty interesting to to read. So thank you for your time, Jim. Anyone else have any questions for Jim before? Okay. All right, no. Okay. Any questions between now and the next meeting, you
call, email me, that's that's fine. Thank you, Jim. And again, uh this document will be on the city website tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. Sure. Okay. Um city manager's report. Good evening. I don't have a lot to report, although I do want to touch
briefly on uh tonight's resolution 105-26. That's the the LEAP grant application. Just to LEAP stands for Local Efficiency Achievement Program. It's a grant program. Uh State of New Jersey has
allocated funds for it. Um to make a long story short, it's basically it's a grant program that Teaneck, Englewood, and Hackensack are interested in applying for. And we're applying for the grant for roughly $150,000.
And the grant, if it if it's awarded, it would go towards funding an independent study of the three municipalities' fire departments. So Teaneck Fire Department is a career department. Englewood Fire Department is a career department. Hackensack Fire Department is a career department. We've
had some very preliminary discussions with the three different municipalities and the three fire chiefs from those municipalities and the management. And um we're all in agreement that we would like to move forward with a feasibility study uh to hire an independent um
uh analyst to come in analyze all three fire departments, analyze the municipalities. They they do a very thorough workup of every fire hazard, every type of building, population, so forth and so on. And with this hopefully, if we get this grant, it like I said, it's just to do
this feasibility study. There's no commitment to move further beyond it, but the feasibility study would show us whether it is uh feasible to actually potentially someday merge the three fire departments into one large fire department. Therefore, you know, saving
cost of equipment, manpower, uh possibly even relocating fire stations, you know, a lot of a lot of you know, results will come out of this study. But um resolution tonight is to partner with Teaneck and Englewood to apply for this grant. So.
If I can Tom. Um So just to be clear, in case people have questions, so today what we are voting on in the resolution is to apply for a grant to do a feasibility study. This vote is not
combining anything, this vote is not moving forward, this vote is just having the funds uh to apply for the opportunity to have funds to have someone look into the feasibility, and then there would be subsequent Correct. It's a very very long process, and and
all we are doing and all I have done is give our give my approval, and after tonight, hopefully your approval to move forward with applying for this grant and to get the grant, hopefully, that will just fund this study. And that's really the first step that we're looking
to do. Okay. Thank you. Now it is time for public comment on agenda items only. If anyone from the public would like to speak on agenda items only, please come forward. You can state your name, your your municipality, um and what item on the agenda you would
like to comment on. If you would if you don't want to comment on an agenda item, but you'd like to comment on some other matter, you can just wait about 6 minutes, and you'll have another opportunity. Uh can I have a motion to open to the public on agenda items only? I'll move.
Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Any member of the public wishing to comment on agenda items only? Agenda item? Okay. And just state your name, your city, and which item on the agenda you'd
like to comment. >> Um my name is Erika Solis. I live in Hackensack. I like to comment in the agenda with um I don't know I don't remember his name. About the budget >> Sure. increasing of 10% and the >> Wait, I'm sorry. Before you speak, I just want to I'm going to interrupt you
now so I don't interrupt you in a moment. The last thing I didn't mention is there used to be a clock on the screen. I keep time for you, so you have about 3 minutes. And once 3 minutes comes, I'll ask you to bring your point to a close. Okay? Just want to let you know. Thank you. Sorry. Um I just um there's couple things that
I'm worried because if it's meaning the the taxes will increase 10%, you are also have to think about the commercial, the business. Think the rent will increase. Um I have so many business that I've been talking and they they they already
have uh increased rent. There is not nobody controlling the rent increase in commercial, but also you're going to see a lot of business closing. It is for just the 10% increase. And you're going to see a lot of uh senior people they're going to decided
to move to another place also. And education and family, so if it is going to be better if the that only 10% will apply for big buildings and rich people. Not to put that impact into people that
just have regular jobs. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else from the public wishing to speak on any agenda item? Okay, seeing none, motion to close to the public. I'll motion. I'll second. All in favor? I.
Any opposed? Any abstentions? Okay, moving on to new business. Resolution 102-26. Resolution 102-26 is a resolution authorizing a reduction to the 2025 tax levy. Thank you. Can I have a motion, please?
I'll make a motion. Second. Okay, um can you call the roll call, please? Deputy Mayor Toomey. I. Councilman Clark-Collins. I. Councilman Carroll. Yes.
Councilman Diaz. I. Mayor Gaines. I. Resolution 103-26 is a resolution authorizing the calendar year 2026 budget to be read by title only. Thank you. Uh can I have a motion? I'll motion. Second.
Uh roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Toomey. I. Councilman Clark-Collins. I. Councilman Carroll. I. Councilman Diaz. I. Mayor Gaines. I. Resolution 104-26 is a resolution resolution authorizing the 2026
municipal budget introduction. Okay, can I have a motion, please? I'll offer. Second. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Toomey. I. Councilwoman Clark-Collins. I. Councilman Carroll. Yes. Councilman
Diaz. I. And Mayor Gaines. I. And resolution 105-26 is a resolution authorizing the submission of a joint local efficiency achievement program LEAP grant proposal to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for $150,000
with the Township of Teaneck and the City of Englewood. Thank you. Can I have a motion, please? I'll offer. Second. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Toomey. I. Councilwoman Clark-Collins. I. Councilman Carroll. I. Councilman Diaz. I. And Mayor Gaines. I.
>> [clears throat] >> Thank you. No consent agenda today. Okay. Moving on to public comment. This is the open gym public comment here. Can I have a motion to open to the public? I'll motion.
Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? So, similar as to last time, if you come forward, please state your name, your municipality. Um please direct your comments to me. And you will have 3 minutes. At the
conclusion of 3 minutes, I will ask you politely to bring your point to a close, and please politely oblige me this request. Thank I also have to say my name, sorry. No, still please say it, please. Okay, Donna West, Hackensack. Um I wanted to say um
First of all, just thank you for the wonderful things that I see you doing. Um the Hackensack Happenings at email is wonderful. I saw the April Fools joke. Yeah, okay, I got it. >> [laughter] >> Um I did already speak to Mayor Gaines, so I just want to go on record that um
those of us who are a little bit older, um the pictures are moving too fast. Um so can we slow down the scroll so I can see when Ms. Clark-Collins is at a restaurant and I'm trying to see the people who are in the picture, okay? I don't want to watch it three times.
I'm like, "Who was that? Who was that? Who was that?" Okay, um but I'm also here for a more serious matter because um as we all are aware of the incident that took place with some young people in our community, um I just want to remind
us as adults um because I'm not on I'm not I've not been on social media, but I'm hearing um that people are making comments. And I want us to know that first of all, I know one of the families. I don't know the other, and I'm sure that can be said about a lot of us, that we either know
the family or we don't. But as adults, we need to recognize that this is somebody's child, and these are children. And when we were that age, we made silly mistakes and did dumb things that and some of us even now are doing dumb
things that we just haven't gotten caught. But I just want to remind us as adults that these are young people who did not make good decisions, and they are dealing with the consequences of their actions. But it doesn't help when people who are the
adults in the community are making comments without knowledge or even with knowledge. Let's just find a way to help our young people to do a better job, to like we talk about in school, solve their problems through discussion or just whatever it is, but I do think that it
starts with us being more responsible and being aware that these are somebody's children. And how would you feel if they were your children that people were talking about, especially without knowing all the facts? Thank you so much. Thank you. And before you
disappear from the microphone, I'm sorry, but just can you just state your full name just for the record? Oh, I didn't say I I said Donna West. >> Okay, thank you. Yes. Sorry, Ms. West. It's okay. No, no, no, no. >> take care. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Anyone else in the public wishing to speak? Again, thank you for being for
Um my name is Erika Solis. I I live in Hackensack. I have my family here. Um I was here before um certain concerns about the health department. They were not uh helping other uh business with regulations. Uh
I can be honest with you and nothing be changed. Same thing, same people with no license, even worse now. I receive regulation from business across my shop. Um I had to call the police multiple times
uh because they say that the inspector from health department come and tell them that I was the one who called. And it's it's a it's it's it's a big concern because um now I see like like kind of harassment right now. So,
just got to put it you know, I'm trying to just work and for my kids and you know, I don't see any changes or any none of that. So, you know, so if
if one of you have the ability to change something what's going on in Hackensack, do it early. Don't wait. Um like I personally, I don't if I have a job or I have the opportunity to be in your position, do
something that will help really really help the community. It's not time to make jokes. It's the time to take the things seriously like it is. Because you cannot play with people that are may lose their homes, closes their business. This is something serious.
And Hackensack is went uh went to hell. It's not good. So, thank you for your time. Erika Solis. Thank you, Ms. Solis. Anyone else in the public? Daryl Watkins, Hackensack. And um I just wanted to talk also about
the um incident that happened with the teenagers a few weeks ago. I am also um uh close to one of the parties involved, and um um just being closer to knowing the situation closer, he was um defending himself from the other person
with the machete and everything like that. And I just was reading about it, you know, of course online, and you hear so many different stories, and you don't really get the real story unless you're, you know, close to it. So, I just wanted to put that out there that we just really want to get the real story out there and make sure that people can, you
know, you know, just feel for people who, you know, when you're when you're involved in it and you're close to it, it does like affect you a lot when you read things that's not pretty true. Um but other than that, you know, I do I'm a Hackensack resident. I do like
being here as a I feel like it's safe here and I want it to be more safe for the kids and everything else. So, that's just all I wanted to say. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Seeing none, motion to close to the public. I'll offer.
Second. All in favor? Aye. >> Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Okay. Deputy Mayor. Uh just a couple of words. Thank you everyone for coming out tonight. And uh thank you, Mr. Mangan, for the
quick look of the uh 2026 budget. Thank you for explaining some things and we look forward to the full report at our next meeting. Thank you so much and everyone have a good night. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman.
Uh no real comments tonight. Just thank you for coming and uh get home safe. Thank you. Councilman. Jim, thank you for that information. I look forward to uh the next meeting for uh getting it together and thank you for
your team. I know it's a uh thankless job. And uh but we do appreciate what you do. And of course us as council, um that's why I brought up the increase
and the explanation. So, I hope that our residents see uh that we are working and we are uh paying attention to it. Uh the second thing I want to bring up is uh
pay attention to your resident parking stickers. Um I had four complaints today from residents over on the Essex Street side, Arcadia, Berkshire.
And uh we are enforcing the resident parking and the resident stickers. So, your first residential sticker for your home,
you have to come to the police station, bring your registration, your license, you get one sticker. Um that one can park in the street. The other one, if you
have to, you park in the driveway. Um so, Berkshire today, um they were many tickets issued. Uh I've gotten a couple complaints, but they are starting to enforce
resident parking stickers. Park in your designated area. Get your sticker. Um we even have a overnight uh parking enforcement because there's
night hours. So, be aware of that. So, we don't hear any more complaints. I got to go to tomorrow and I have to get my second sticker or first sticker for the first car. So,
be uh cognizant to that and uh I don't know. It's on the website. It just started uh to be enforced. So, just letting you know. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman.
Thank you, Mayor. Good evening. Uh we all have to uh conclude that uh Mr. Mangan is the uh playing the big role tonight. Um so, Mr. Mangan, thank you for your presentation, even though it was an
overview uh presentation, but it give us an idea of what's going on with the budget for the 2026. Uh we look forward uh to see you again uh in the next uh public meeting where I'm pretty sure that
people from the public and us will be asking all kind of questions to be very clarified on all the uh decisions that have been made regarding the 2026 budget. So, once again, thank you. Thank you for your participation to the people that attended tonight. And have a safe
uh you know, a restful night. Thank you. Thank you. Um I just want to once again thank everyone for coming. Thank you, Jim, as well for your work, for your clarity. And uh we look forward to getting a fuller overview at the next meeting. Um
I'm going to ask uh Ms. Lisa, if you haven't already, to connect with the city manager um in terms of the issues that you're having. I think it was on Anderson Street. Okay. So, Okay.
Uh and that that I understand. What I I guess what I wanted to to just say is you know, what what the manager can do is follow up with the health department and make sure that the health department is having the appropriate amount of um
prudence, I guess I'll say, um and just confirm that that's happening or or he'll he'll deal with that with the health department. Um But some of it is the building owners also, the business owners. If the health
department is going and taking action based on your comment, the health department is doing something. Um now, whether or not people are complying is a separate thing and the councilman talked about enforcement.
It's the city's job to make sure that people are complying with our ordinances, but also the business owners have to have some level of responsibility, too. But if this is a repeat issue, and it sounds like it is a repeat issue, um
then I'm going to encourage you to be annoying with the city manager and just email him all the time. Um that's that's what he's there for. So, >> [laughter] >> um so, but but please do because it's important um
as the councilman said, to make sure that people follow the ordinances that we have here. You know, that's the number one thing. When we had a lot of snow a couple of weeks ago, everyone said, you know, well, why aren't we ticketing? Why aren't we towing? Part of it is ticketing and towing and
part of it is it would be easier if our neighbors just complied with the ordinances. Our police department in the middle of a snowstorm, in the middle of a blizzard, can't go around ticketing and towing people for 24 hours straight. So, um
from the city side, I know and trust that Mr. Freeman will will work with the health department to make sure that everyone's doing what they're supposed to be doing. But our eyes aren't everywhere. So, if you continue to see behavior that you
think the city should look into, you don't have to wait till a a meeting. Please just email and someone can go and and be on it like it sounds like they were on it last time, okay? But um but we're we're doing our best, but we depend on everyone to kind of
help be our eyes and ears as well for us, okay? So, um with that, I'm going to ask for a motion to adjourn. I'll offer. Second. All in favor? Aye. >> Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Thank you.