Passaic County highlights 2025 accomplishments; outlines housing, SNAP response and 2026 priorities
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Summary
Administrator Matt reported on county achievements including a $4M-revenue golf course, 64-unit Liberty of Pompton Lakes senior and veterans housing opening in 2026, emergency SNAP food distributions during the federal shutdown, a transit pilot with 38,000 rides, and plans for new parks and senior services expansion.
Passaic County Administrator Matt reviewed the county's 2025 accomplishments for the Board of County Commissioners during the Dec. 29 meeting and outlined projects and priorities for 2026.
Matt said the county's financial position remained strong with Moody's maintaining the county's highest credit rating in its history and the budget held within conservative targets. He highlighted several departmental accomplishments: the Liberty of Pompton Lakes senior and veterans affordable housing project is under construction and slated to open in September (64 units), with an application waiting list expected to open in April 2026 via the county housing agency.
On emergency food access, the administrator said the federal government shutdown led to a loss of SNAP benefits for roughly 88,000 Passaic County residents; county human services (led by Arti Karkar) organized emergency food distribution events and "served" tens of thousands during the shutdown. The transcript contains two related numeric statements: one reference to nearly 88,000 residents affected and a second stating 81,000 SNAP recipients were served during the federal shutdown; the county later clarified it coordinated large-scale distributions across Patterson and Passaic.
Matt also described a transit pilot that has completed more than 38,000 trips and has over 6,000 user accounts; the pilot is currently operating in Clifton and in the transcript a locale rendered "Saic," and county staff said they are pursuing grant opportunities to expand service in 2026.
The administrator reviewed parks and cultural investments: the Highlands Rail Trail ribbon-cutting (partnered with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission), an upcoming soft opening for Lambert Castle museum improvements, renovation work at the Schuyler Colfax House and a partnership with William Patterson University for Preakness Valley Golf Course events. He said the golf course generated approximately $4,000,000 in 2025.
On senior services, Matt said county programs served about 300,000 meals to seniors and provided 30,000 rides via the county transit program in 2025; the county aims to clear a waiting list for services in 2026. Despite federal funding cuts, he said the county enrolled over 13,000 residents in home energy assistance programs with reduced staff.
The board exchanged farewell remarks for departing commissioners and welcomed two commissioners-elect. Several items described by the administrator are ongoing projects with implementation timelines into 2026 and 2027.
The administrator's report summarized operational metrics and projects; no new policy vote or budget appropriation was introduced during the report itself.