Passaic County honors retiring Commissioner John Bartlett

The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners honored Commissioner John W. Bartlett upon his retirement after 13½ years of service, recognizing his leadership in securing more than $600 million in federal infrastructure funding for projects throughout the county.

First elected in 2012, Bartlett served as Passaic County’s representative to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, where he served as board chairman from 2022 to 2023 and most recently as secretary.

County officials said Bartlett helped secure funding for improvements to Routes 46, 3, 23 and Interstate 80, along with bridge replacements, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, culvert repairs and the Morris Canal Greenway.

Commissioner Director Sandi Lazzara credited Bartlett with helping shape the county’s transportation network through years of advocacy at the regional and national levels.

“John Bartlett has been one of the most consequential public servants in Passaic County’s recent history,” Lazzara said in a statement. “The roads people drive on, the trails they walk, the bridges they cross — so much of that infrastructure was funded because John showed up, year after year, and fought for this county.”

Among the projects completed during Bartlett’s tenure were traffic and pedestrian safety improvements in Paterson and Clifton, development of the Highlands Rail Trail, and rural road safety projects in Bloomingdale, North Haledon and Wayne.

Beyond transportation, county officials said Bartlett supported the creation of STEM and biotechnology academies at Passaic County Technical Institute, expansion of Passaic County Community College’s suburban campuses, and autism and Special Olympics swim programs. He also led the county’s 2020 Census outreach efforts and helped oversee the distribution of CARES Act and American Rescue Plan funding to families, businesses and nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Deputy Director Orlando Cruz praised Bartlett’s ability to secure federal funding for county projects.

Bartlett served as board director in 2019 and 2024 and was part of the board that adopted 12 consecutive balanced county budgets.

He is leaving county government to become general counsel for the Gateway Development Commission, where he will oversee legal operations for the Gateway Rail Tunnel project.

“Every federal dollar we secured, every project we greenlit, every crisis we navigated together was an act of faith in this county and the people who call it home,” Bartlett said. “I am deeply grateful for the trust residents placed in me and humbled by what this board accomplished.”