Over the last two years, much of the world has changed. However, the Township of Nutley remains as it always has, celebrating the tradition of its past while also firmly looking to its future.

The Township has long been known for its many residential benefits, including:

• A Parks and Recreation Department that maintains nine beautiful parks while also providing over 100 recreational programs, classes, sports leagues, summer camps and special events for residents to enjoy.
• A Public Safety Department that routinely lands in the upper half of the safest places to live in New Jersey lists, and houses state-of-the-art fire and emergency services.
• A Public Works Department that is arguably the finest snow removal service in the state, while also hosting countless recycling and environmentally sound events.
• A Public Health Department that offers blood drives, mental health initiatives, military and veterans support as well as countless additional programs and events structured around all possible health scenarios.
• A Revenue, Finance and Code Enforcement that regularly greets numerous residents, attorney’s and contractors providing efficient and care based services.

All of these are part of the time-honored traditions of Nutley that continue to be carried on by a Board of Commissioners with over 80 years of experience serving the Township.

“When I was elected Mayor in March of 2020, I never could have predicted the challenges we were faced with that were brought on by the COVID-19 virus,” Nutley Township Mayor Mauro G. Tucci says. “But we pulled together as a community and made sure we did everything we could to maintain all the great services Nutley provides. And now as we come out of the pandemic and get back to some sort of normalcy, I am extremely proud to look back on how, in a time of devastating crisis, we were able to work through it.”

“All of our departments work together for the good of the Township,” Department of Public Works Commissioner Dr. Joseph Scarpelli states. “For example, at the DPW, we always stand by the fact that in a snow emergency, no matter the size or the length of the storm, soon after the storm ends, Nutley will be open for business and accessible. Not just for streets, but for all emergency services, and so on.”

Alphonse Petracco, Commissioner of Public Safety adds, “In our Township, if there is an emergency, you will see a police car or a fire truck or ambulance within four minutes. In other towns, many times you will be asked, ‘Is it really an urgent emergency? Or is it like a fender bender?’ You may wait an hour for anyone to come. It’s different in Nutley. And we’re very proud of that.”

"The COVID-19 pandemic brought the Department of Public Affairs and Health into the spotlight, where we added many programs and initiatives related to the virus and other national and international events,” says John V. Kelly, III, Commissioner of the Department of Public Affairs and Health. “But these initiatives were built on a strong foundation of consistently caring for the mental and physical health and well-being for all who call Nutley home, regardless of the pandemic or other issues facing the rest of the country."

Providing all of these services and programs do come at a cost. In a time of record inflation and rising gas prices and interest rates, it can be difficult to explain the need for a tax increase.

“Even mid- and post-pandemic, our services are among the best around,” Department of Revenue and Finance Commissioner Thomas J. Evans adds. “We try our best not to raise taxes but the fact is that costs go up every year. Healthcare goes up. Insurance goes up. We are careful about adding resources, maintaining a new hire freeze since 2020. But as Commissioners, our responsibility is to make sure that we've made good decisions that are grounded in providing for the best health, welfare and safety of the community. That is always our focus.”

“We are so proud that Nutley remains an incredible place to live and raise a family,” Mayor Tucci adds. “Even now, the inventory of available houses for sale is miniscule. That says something. People have always wanted to live here…people spend generations here. That hasn’t changed. We will continue to do our best to make sure that it doesn’t.”