Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Clifton public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
42 issues with medium priority
Ukrainian Cultural Center use approval
A resolution will formalize approval allowing a cultural center and non-profit charitable organization to operate in two existing buildings on one lot at 35 Hazel Street.
Rabies Alert
A rabid fox was caught in nearby Little Falls, and Clifton health officials are telling residents to keep kids and pets away from wildlife. The practical advice: don’t touch strange animals and make sure pets’ rabies shots are current.
Early Voting
Early voting for the 2026 General Election starts tomorrow in Clifton, and you can cast your ballot in person at any Passaic County early voting site before Election Day. Basically, if you can't make it on the actual day, you've got options—no excuse to sit this one out.
School Board Election Op-ed
A Clifton school board candidate is pitching budget accountability and new elementary school programs to voters. If you care about where your local school tax dollars go, this one’s worth a look.
City Council Candidate Op-ed
John Thomas, a Clifton City Council candidate, is taking his case straight to voters with an op-ed that leans on his public-service record ahead of the election. It’s a campaign pitch, not a policy announcement, so expect more biography and positioning than budget details.
Brown water and Third River flooding
The infamous 'Gates of Hell' outfall was only 70% inspected and cleared. A proposal from American Water to finish the job is coming, part of a bigger push to fix flooding in Dutch Hill and other neighborhoods.
Commercial Vehicle Overnight Parking
Residents keep complaining about work vans and buses hoging residential street parking. The current 8,000-pound rule isn't cutting it, and the police worry any change will snag big personal SUVs. The council wants vehicle weight data and a permit-style compromise before drafting new language.
Main Avenue Streetscape Project design contract
The council was scheduled to award a professional engineering design contract to Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. for the NJDOT-funded Main Avenue streetscape project. Streetscape work can mean nicer sidewalks, lighting, and crosswalks along a busy corridor.
Candidate Election Op-eds
Local City Council and Board of Education candidates are using op-eds in The Clifton Times to make their case before Election Day. It’s a quick way to see who’s asking for your vote and what they’re promising. Worth a skim if you want to cut through campaign slogans.
Election Poll Worker Recruitment
Clifton needs poll workers for the General Election, and it’s a paid gig if you want to help run Election Day. It’s a straightforward way to earn money while keeping local voting running smoothly.
Election Voting Information
Clifton just released the official 2026 General Election guide, so if you're planning to vote, this is your cheat sheet for deadlines, polling places, and registration rules. It's a quick read that could save you from showing up at the wrong spot or missing a key date.
Third Street Sidewalk and Curb Improvements Phase 2
The city got the green light to advertise bids for new curbs and sidewalks with ADA upgrades on Third Street, funded by NJDOT state aid.
Stormwater Compliance with NJDEP
The city is under violation notices from environmental regulators and hired Artheon for $40,000 to bring stormwater plans up to state requirements — potential fines loom if it stalls.
Water Bills for the Adult Opportunity Center and City Green
The Clifton Adult Opportunity Center, which serves developmentally disabled adults, wants the city to cover about $4,800 a year in water bills for its new building, as it does for older buildings on the campus. Council will take it up next meeting.
Styretowne Apartments amenity building
Styretowne Apartments is getting a new two-story leasing office with coworking space for residents only, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The board approved it with conditions on lighting, landscaping and noise to protect neighbors.
Charter study ballot question
A resident argued the council's 2025 rejection of a charter study question blocked residents from deciding Clifton's form of government, and said the current structure dates back nearly a century. He urged candidates to support putting the question to voters.
Post office HVAC and city-owned building costs
The city is spending up to $45,000 to cool the post office it owns — a building whose tenant pays $110,000 rent. Tabled pending answers; selling the building is now on the table.
Water quality and aging pipes
Residents pressed a PVWC commissioner about foamy tap water and nitrates, asking for testing at points throughout the city rather than only at the reservoir.
2026 Storm Sidewalk Repairs
The July 3 windstorm uprooted trees and damaged sidewalks citywide. The council awarded an $18,500 repair contract and reimbursed one homeowner for work done before a grant covered it.
Opportunity Zone redesignation, Census Tract 1251
The council unanimously backed asking the state to redesignate Census Tract 1251 as an Opportunity Zone, which could attract investment through federal tax incentives.
Zoning impervious coverage limits
Two new zoning ordinances would define impervious coverage terms and set maximum coverage limits citywide. They head to a public hearing September 1.
CASAs funding and Power of One allocation
CASA's state grant fell from $41,000 in 2020 to $19,000 in 2025, and its president says he pays out of pocket for programs. He objects to shifting $90,000 to Power of One at CASA's expense.
Grants program and historic City Hall preservation
Triad Associates has stabilized 60 active grants worth $47 million, recovered nearly $580,000 in drawdowns, and proposed a $2,000-$2,500 baseline assessment to pursue state historic trust funding for the City Hall complex and barns.
Loading zone standards in residential areas
Two business loading-zone requests — 435 Lexington Ave and 241 Crooks Ave — ran into resistance over all-day or 24/7 no-parking near homes and apartments. One passed 4-2, the other was tabled while council crafts a uniform four-hour-window standard.
Independence Day Fireworks Reschedule
The council defended its last-minute decision to postpone the $20,000 fireworks display ahead of a severe storm, while critics said the carnival should have been shut down too. Ticket holders who can't attend the rescheduled date will be refunded. Crews worked through the night on storm damage.
International Day to Replace Divisive Flag Raisings
Sadrakula says flag raisings have 'become political' and don't unify the city. A public planning meeting is set for August 12 at 7 p.m. to design a single multicultural day — possibly with an amphitheater idea at the city's historic property.
Anzaldi Park Fencing Dispute
The council tabled an $88,000 fence repair contract, demanding to know how the fence was damaged and why the city's insurance isn't covering it.
Single-Day Garbage Pickup Proposal
A resident warned that one-day-a-week pickup will hit big families hard, clog narrow older streets for 15+ minutes at a time, and attract rodents — suggesting alternate-side parking on pickup days. Councilman Latona says rising costs (about $1 million a year more) may force the conversation anyway.
PILOT Agreements and Revenue Sharing
Kolodziej noted 10 of Clifton's 13 PILOTs now share revenue based on gross revenue; Latona celebrated the first revenue-sharing PILOT and wants community-service requirements in future deals. A council candidate pitched expanding the commercial tax base to ease homeowner burdens.
Community Recreation Center roof and future
A ~$50,000 partial roof repair sparked debate over whether the whole roof needs replacement. Kolodziej argued the building should instead be sold to fund a new recreation center at 1909 Scoles Avenue.
CDBG PY2026 Action Plan and budget amendments
Three public hearings covered the city's federal community development plan and budget transfers; no residents spoke, and the plan and amendments were adopted by resolution.
Little Free Pantries and zoning concerns
Residents celebrated new pantries at School 11 and School 17 but feared proposed zoning changes could shut food pantries down. Councilwoman Sadrakula said the pantries are not being eliminated and the health-and-welfare chapter removal from the zoning ordinance isn't happening.
Data centers and Master Plan re-examination
Two speakers urged the city to adopt a three-year moratorium on new data centers, citing noise, energy and water impacts at the existing Dunklau Drive facility, and to review zoning and the noise ordinance before the master plan update locks anything in.
City water color and infrastructure
A resident asked why tap water is discolored and when infrastructure will be fixed, saying people shouldn't have to buy bottled water. No direct answer appears in the minutes.
PSEG tree removal practices
A resident charged PSEG is defaulting to removing healthy shade trees instead of pruning, despite a state statute requiring integrated vegetation management. Council members asked for a report and oversight.
Soft serve ice cream ordinance
The council wants to modernize its antiquated vendor rules to allow soft-serve trucks, debating whether to cap licenses (seven pre-packaged vendors operate now) and whether trucks should be allowed to play music.
Proposed data center moratorium
Residents asked the city to pause new data centers, noting Clifton already hosts three and that tax credits are flowing to such projects while local infrastructure strains. Councilwoman Sadrakula said she supports a moratorium.
2026 HUD-CD sanitary sewer lining
The city will advertise bids to line 4,600 feet of 8-inch sewer mains with HUD-CD funding — a maintenance project that helps prevent costly breaks.
Affordable housing litigation costs
The council added $10,000 to its legal budget for the firm handling the city's affordable housing fight, doubling the contract to $30,000.
PILOT programs and hotel/On3 revenue sharing
Council candidate Assad Mujtaba warned PILOTs delay revenue for decades; Kolodziej countered they do not. A proposed PILOT with revenue sharing for the hotel and On3 campus was discussed in closed session.
Hazardous city trees
A tree snapped in the wind and took down power lines on Tejal Desai's block; she wants a proactive inventory and replacement of weak species. Kolodziej noted an arborist handles trees individually but a study isn't in the 2026 budget.
2026 snow storm response and DPW equipment funding
The after-action report tallied $243,971 in storm costs; the council tripled the Caterpillar repair-parts budget to $150,000 so DPW is not caught short again, and members want more county plow support on city main roads.