Mayor's Message February 2026
I am very pleased to report that the contract dispute with our Police Department has been successfully resolved. Binding arbitration proved to be a valuable and effective tool for bringing this matter to a fair conclusion.
The Mayor and Council have always held our police officers in the highest regard and strongly support the critical work they do each day to keep our community safe.
At the same time, the Mayor and Council have an important responsibility to serve as careful and responsible stewards of taxpayer resources. Throughout this process, the Borough worked diligently to balance those priorities by putting forward fair and reasonable proposals regarding retirement benefits for our police officers.
While the negotiations presented challenges, I am pleased that, through this process, an agreement was reached that reflects the Borough’s good faith efforts to achieve a resolution that ensured fairness to our police officers while protecting the long-term financial interests of the Borough’s taxpayers.
Heavy winter snow has returned after a long hiatus, bringing with it a reminder of a few important housekeeping responsibilities. Please remember that sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours after a storm. We also ask residents with fire hydrants on or near their property to shovel a three-foot radius around each hydrant to ensure quick access for emergency responders.
I would also like to share how the Borough prepares for major winter storms to keep our community safe. Prior to last week’s storm, I convened a meeting with key department leaders, including the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Department of Public Works (DPW) Superintendent, Fire Chief, Police Chief, EMS Chief, Borough Administrator, and Superintendent of Schools. Topics included DPW preparedness, staffing levels, snow removal resources, salt supply, emergency service access, and overall storm response coordination.
Residents should be reassured that even if snow accumulates on local streets, emergency services — including Police, Fire, and EMS — will always be able to reach you. In the event of an emergency, DPW will immediately reallocate resources to plow routes needed for emergency response and ensure safe access for first responders.
The Office of Emergency Management, working closely with the Borough Administrator, oversees all emergency operations during major weather events. If power outages occur, OEM’s plan includes opening warming centers at the Oakland Public Library and the Senior Center until power is restored. For longer-term emergencies, sheltering will be provided by Bergen County Office of Emergency Management.
Oakland’s DPW operates 25 pieces of snow-removal equipment to plow approximately 65 miles of Borough roadways, as well as Borough owned sidewalks and parking lots. Preparations began before the storm with brine applied to roads to prevent ice buildup. The town is divided into seven snow-removal sectors, each assigned two to four plows. One full pass per sector takes approximately 2½ to 3 hours. During heavy snowfall, there may be an accumulation of two to four inches before plows are able to return for another pass. Despite the intensity of last week’s storm, all Borough roads were cleared down to pavement by Monday afternoon.
Thank you for your cooperation and patience during winter weather events. Working together helps keep Oakland safe and moving.