County of Bergen 2011
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COUNTY OF BERGEN 2011 - 2012 COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL DIRECTORY To access the official Bergen County website, please type http://www.co.bergen.nj.us into the address bar of any web browser that is available to you. The County website is a great resource to obtain any contact information you may need regarding your local, state or federal government. It is comprised of many important links that can help you easily find all of the resources and services that Bergen County has to offer from residential services to recreational activities and much more. Published by the COUNTY OF BERGEN COVER All but one of the photos that appear on the front and back cover of this guide were taken by Bergen County employees. They are of everyday Bergen County residents enjoying our beautiful parks, various facilities, and attending cultural events throughout the county, such as: taking a ride on the train and Millenium Carousel at Van Saun Park in Paramus; golfers on the 9th hole at Rockleigh Golf Course; playing baseball at Overpeck Park; listening to a lecture given by River Vale Municipal Historian, Edward Moderacki, at the Baylor Massacre Historic Site in River Vale; judging an arts festival "Bergen County Art in the Park" held in Overpeck (paintings by artist Hugo Sandoval of Lodi); a traditional Korean dance demonstration by Koren-American children during a celebraton of Korean American Family Day at One Bergen County Plaza; enjoying the musical talents of legendary musician and Bergen County resident Lonnie Youngblood during African-American History Day and award winning Irish Step Dancers in celebration of St. Patrick's Day also at One Bergen County Plaza; area residents taking part in "Get Fit Fest" in Englewood; Graduation Day at Bergen Community College; children of Bergen County employees on "Take Your Child to Work Day" with Bergen County Police Officer Ron Salzano; Bergenfield High School's Marching Band taking part in the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade; and finally an image of Bergen County's 911 Memorial located in Overpeck Park, Leonia. Photos By: Joseph Appio and Price Campbell Carol Messer, James Clark, Karen Occhiuzzo and Greg Lucente Bergen Community College Staff 911 Memorial Photo By: Alan Koenig Cover Design By: Price Campbell Printed by Bind-Rite Services, Inc. South Hackensack, NJ Printed on Recycled Paper with Soy Based Inks to Protect the Environment • The information in this directory was compiled and completed as of May, 2011. However, changes can be expected as new appointments and resignations become effective throughout the year - especially in some municipalities due to local elections that take place in May. • Please check the County's website for changes and updates made to the web version of this directory during the year. COUNTY OF BERGEN One Bergen County Plaza Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076 KATHLEEN A. DONOVAN County Executive BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS John Driscoll, Jr. Chairman Maura R. DeNicola John D. Mitchell Vice Chairwoman Chairman Pro Tempore John A. Felice David L. Ganz Robert G. Hermansen Bernadette P. McPherson 4 CONTENTS County Executive ............................................................................... 5 Board of Chosen Freeholders .............................................................. 6 Freeholders' Committee Assignments ................................................. 8 Freeholder Representation on Various Boards & Agencies .................. 8 Constitutional Officers ....................................................................... 9 Bergen County History & Government .............................................10 Education in Bergen County .............................................................12 Websites of Interest ...........................................................................12 Directions to One Bergen County Plaza ............................................13 Bergen County Holidays ...................................................................13 Organizational Chart of County Government ...................................14 County Departments and Divisions (listed alphabetically) ...........................................................................15 The Courts .......................................................................................30 State Officials ...................................................................................31 Federal Officials ................................................................................32 Map of Bergen County Municipalities ...............................................33 The Municipalities (listed alphabetically) .............................................34 Bergen County Parks Information .....................................................69 Important Phone Numbers ................................................................71 5 BERGEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE Kathleen A. Donovan 6 BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS John Driscoll, Jr. Freeholder Chairman Maura R. DeNicola John D. Mitchell Freeholder Vice Chairwoman Freeholder Chairman Pro Tempore 7 John A. Felice David L. Ganz Freeholder Freeholder Robert G. Hermansen Bernadette P. McPherson Freeholder Freeholder 8 FREEHOLDERS' COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS Budget and Finance Law and Public Safety Mitchell, Chair Hermansen, Chair DeNicola and Ganz McPherson and Mitchell Community Development Organizational and Internal Affairs DeNicola, Chair Driscoll, Chair Driscoll and Ganz Mitchell and Felice Health Services Parks Hermansen, Chair Felice, Chair Felice and McPherson Driscoll and DeNicola Human Services Cultural and Historic Affairs Liaison: Driscoll, Chair Hermansen Felice and DeNicola Planning and Economic Development Veterans Liaison: Felice, Chair DeNicola Hermansen and McPherson Labor and Personnel Public Works DeNicola, Chair Mitchell, Chair Hermansen and Mitchell Driscoll and DeNicola FREEHOLDER REPRESENTATION ON VARIOUS BOARDS & AGENCIES African American Advisory Comm Community Action Partnership Mitchell Hermansen and Ganz B.C. Economic Development Corp. Municipal Advisory Council Hermansen Driscoll and DeNicola B.C. Housing Authority Liaison National Association of Counties Mitchell Hermansen B.C. Open Space Trust Fund New Jersey Association of Counties Felice Driscoll and Mitchell Bergen Regional Medical Center New Jersey Legislature Hermansen Driscoll and McPherson Board of Social Services Planning Board DeNicola and Felice Hermansen (member) Felice (alternate) Board of School Estimate: Solid Waste Advisory Council Bergen Community College: (S.W.A.C.) Driscoll, Chair DeNicola Mitchell and Ganz Utilities Authority Liaison Special Services School District: Hermansen Driscoll, Chair Mitchell and DeNicola Bergen County Improvement Vocational Schools Authority: Felice DeNicola, Chair Felice and McPherson 9 CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS New Jersey's State Constitution provides for the election of a Sheriff, a County Clerk and a Surrogate Judge to serve each county. The Sheriff is elected to a three-year term and the Surrogate and County Clerk are each elected to five-year terms. The County Prosecutor is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the County and is appointed by the Governor for a five-year term. COUNTY CLERK PROSECUTOR Elizabeth Randall John L. Molinelli SHERIFF SURROGATE Michael Saudino Michael R. Dressler 10 BERGEN COUNTY HISTORY Bergen was one of the four original counties in New Jersey with its early borders reaching into what are now Passaic and Hudson counties. Today, Bergen County is a 239-square-mile parcel of land in the northeast corner of the state, with a population of over 900,000 people. Although Bergen was designated a “judicial district” in 1675, it was not until 1683 that the Provincial Assembly passed an act creating the counties of Bergen, Essex, Middlesex and Monmouth. In 1710, Hackensack - a Lenni Lenape word believed to mean "stony ground" - was designated as the county seat. The oldest records of the Bergen County Board of Freeholders and Justices are dated May 19, 1715. At that meeting, it was decided to build a combined courthouse and jail, which was erected on Hackensack’s historic Green in 1716. Bergen County observed the 300th anniversary of its founding on March 7, 1983. In 1985, the voters approved a governmental change, which had been recommended by the Bergen County Charter Study Commission, elected the previous year, to assess the freeholder form of government. As a result of that study and a vote by the people of the county, in November 1986, Bergen's form of government changed from a nine member Freeholder Board to a County Executive and seven member Freeholder Board. The County Executive would be elected to a four-year term and the seven members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders are elected at large to three-year staggered terms. All take office early in January following their election in November. ITS GOVERNING BODY Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan was elected in November 2010 and took office on January 1, 2011. Ms. Donovan had previously served Bergen County residents as their County Clerk for 22 years and represented District 36 as an Assemblywoman from 1986 to 1988. As an attorney in private practice she served as a part time Public Defender for her hometown of Lyndhurst from 1983 to 1988 and also as a part-time staff attorney for the Bergen County Office on Aging from 1981 to 1984. From June, 1989 to February, 1990, Donovan was the first woman to chair the State GOP and in 1991 was the Republican Chair of the New Jersey Legislative Reappointment Commission. On February