Multiple residents at the Jan. 21 Passaic City Council meeting thanked the administration for a new free shuttle service and asked that the route or hours be expanded; they also pressed the council about ongoing parking shortages in Reelon Village.

Evelyn T. Robinson, former commissioner of the Board of Education, called the shuttle “such a godsend,” saying it helps people avoid moving cars in bad weather and that she hopes “it could be expanded for the weekend.” Robinson said some people in her building now can avoid paying for trips into town.

Robinson also raised parking problems on Sixth Street and in the Reelon Village area. She said a nearby garage owned by a landlord who has outstanding violations is being used to store supplies rather than to provide mandated resident parking. “We have 82 parking spaces and 116 apartments. So already, we're behind the 8 ball,” she said, and asked the city to investigate.

Mayor (name not specified in the transcript) and council members acknowledged both points. The mayor noted the shuttle is part of an array of programs aimed at easing costs for seniors and families and said the administration would continue to evaluate expanded service. Council members said they have asked code and enforcement staff to investigate parking-garage usage when residents report noncompliance.

What was raised: residents asked for weekend shuttle service, clarified that the free shuttle is not only for seniors, and requested enforcement action to ensure mandated resident parking garages are used for that purpose.

Next steps: city staff said they would follow up on reports about the garage being used improperly; the council signaled willingness to examine weekend service expansion if demand and funding permit.