Residents raised sanitation concerns during public comment and council responded with an operational change: the city will provide twice-weekly garbage pickup beginning the first week of August and continuing through September.

Resident Michelle Tavares urged the council to restore twice-weekly pickups for summer months because of odors and municipal litter. The mayor confirmed that beginning Aug. 1 the city "will have 2 times a week garbage pickup in the summer through, both August and September." Residents also raised issues of household garbage being placed in public dumpsters in specific neighborhoods; Cissy Sharif asked whether the city could place signage on public containers reading "not for household garbage" or similar wording to discourage improper disposal.

Communications and public-works staff said the annual pickup schedule is published and that the city will add targeted notice campaigns for the temporary twice-weekly pickups, including social media and website notices and potential tagging of affected zones. Staff recommended analog sign-up and outreach points at the recreation center, schools and libraries to reach residents without email.

Why it matters: Increasing pickup frequency for the hottest months is intended to reduce odors, rodent attraction and litter, while signage and targeted outreach aim to discourage improper dumping of household waste into public containers.

Discussion versus decision: The twice-weekly pickup through August–September was presented as a forthcoming operational decision; staff confirmed the schedule and communications plan. Requests for signage and enforcement were recorded as public suggestions for DPW follow-up. No new ordinance or fee changes were proposed.

What’s next: Public-works and communications staff will finalize zoning details for the temporary extra pickups, publish schedules on hackensack.org and social media, and consider signage and enforcement measures for public containers in problem locations.