Residents press council on safety, parking, food programs and open-space planning

Residents used public comment to raise a range of neighborhood and programmatic concerns.

Sergei Tolstoy congratulated the retiring city clerk and "promote[d] my nomination of Allison for deputy clerk of the City Of Hackensack," and urged more frequent ward meetings and stronger police and fire presence for Halloween and general pedestrian safety. Randy Glover, executive director of the All Access Commission, described the nonprofit’s food-distribution and senior programs, saying the group spent about $410,000 on local food purchases and $60,000 on mental-health services in the prior 18 months and asked the city to consider partnering for a low-cost senior meal program.

Traffic-safety advocate Marty Smith, chair of the traffic safety committee, urged the city to consider a prohibition on pedestrians using cellphones while crossing and requested crosswalks and flashing pedestrian signs at the curved Anderson Street/Union intersection near bus stops. Helen McFadden said parking on High Street remains a pressing problem and asked for the neighborhood to receive follow-up about resident stickers and enforcement. Several speakers also raised neighborhood sanitation, tax-bill messaging and potential conflict-of-interest concerns; Marlene Somerville asked for a staff/legal explanation of eminent-domain criteria and proposed forming an open-space advisory committee to vet acquisitions before they reach council.

Councilmembers acknowledged the public comments and said staff would follow up; no formal policy or vote on these specific requests was recorded at this meeting.