Mayor's State of the Borough Address

Good evening and Happy New Year. I would like to thank all of you for allowing me the honor and privilege of being reelected as your Mayor to continue serving the Tenafly community.

Experiencing the energy and diversity of our residents has been wonderful, and I look forward to working together as Tenafly evolves and moves forward.

I would like to thank and recognize Councilwoman Lauren Dayton for her committed service to the people and Borough of Tenafly. It has been a pleasure working with Councilwoman Dayton and I thank her for joining the Senior Citizens Service Committee so that she can continue her service to the community.

Congratulations to newly elected Council Members Jaime Corsair and John Roglieri.

I would like to thank our Police, Fire and Ambulance professionals for the outstanding work they perform twenty fours hours a day to protect the residents of Tenafly.

Thank you to the Public Works Department team that maintain our streets, restore roads after storms and always perform with the upmost level of professionalism.

Congratulations to Michele Hausch and the team at the Senior Center. The Center hit a milestone recently when the 500th active member joined the Senior Center.

Thank you also to the teams in the Recreation Department, the Nature Center, our Library and the entire Borough Hall staff, who, every day are focused on delivering quality services to our residents.

Thank you to the Board of Education members and the Superintendent who continue to deliver outstanding educational programs. The Council and I look forward to continuing partnering with the Board on overlapping goals that benefit our children and residents.

Thank you to the Tenafly Elks, the Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, all of whom contribute to the essential fabric of Tenafly.

And - most significantly, thank you to all the resident volunteers that serve on the numerous Boards and Committees that invest their time improving our community.

The most important idea to practice when we find ourselves elected to the roles we are in, is to always serve the public in ways which produces the most direct benefit to their daily lives, while also planning for the future.

Road improvements, park beautification, recreation opportunities, senior services and downtown improvements will continue as priorities for 2024.

The initial steps for installing a proper traffic signal at the corner of Dean Drive and East Clinton Avenue are already underway.

Storm water is a major challenge, not just for Tenafly, but the entire northern valley region. We are engaged with our County and State partners on a regional level to improve our storm water management.

Locally, we are working to clean our streams, add storm drains where it is most effective, and keep our existing storm drains free from debris.

We have approved the renovation and upscaling of three buildings on West Railroad Avenue. A new restaurant recently opened on Washington Street and two new restaurant projects are underway. We will continue to encourage small business entrepreneurs to invest in our community.

Coordinating with the Police Department, we are working on pedestrian safety upgrades including reviewing crossing guard locations, adding crosswalks, and testing the usage of speed bumps as a traffic calming measure.

Thank you to Governor Murphy for taking the time to administer the oath of office to me today. The Governors presence is a demonstration of the State’s commitment to our community and the importance of positive working relationships.

As your Mayor, I will continue to build relationships for the benefit of our community.

Because of our relationships with professionals and government funding sources we were able to rebuild storm damaged roads, and a bridge, faster and less costly than surrounding communities. Utilizing the American Rescue Money Tenafly received from the Federal government we have been able to fund the beginning phase of our downtown improvements.

The Council and I encourage you to bring ideas to us. Join committees and participate in town-wide activities. Attend Council meetings. This is your town, and please remember that the decisions are made by the people who show up.

I would like to wish everyone a prosperous and healthy 2024.

Thank you and enjoy your evening.

Mayor Mark Zinna