Tedesco touts hospital turnaround, public safety gains in Bergen County address

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said the county remains financially strong while highlighting investments in public safety, health care, education, and parks during his March 4 annual State of the County address.

“The state of the county is strong, and together we are building an even stronger tomorrow where the people of Bergen County can continue to live, work, raise a family, and retire,” Tedesco said.

The Democratic county executive reviewed initiatives from his 12 years in office, pointing to reforms in law enforcement, expansion of emergency services, and improvements at the county’s public hospital.

Tedesco began by praising county workers who handled major winter storms earlier this year.

“Well over a hundred employees from multiple departments and divisions responded to two record-breaking storms,” he said, crediting the county’s snow operations team with keeping roads open and essential services running.

Public safety has been a cornerstone of his administration, Tedesco said. One of his first actions after taking office in 2014 was reorganizing county law enforcement under a unified command structure, a move he said improved coordination and communication among agencies.

The county also created Bergen EMS in 2023 to supplement local volunteer ambulance squads that had been struggling with declining membership.

“In just three years, Bergen EMS has responded to more than 23,000 emergency calls here in Bergen County,” Tedesco said. “Quite simply, Bergen EMS is saving lives every single day.”

Tedesco also pointed to national safety rankings that place Bergen County among the safest counties in the country.

A significant portion of the address focused on the transformation of the county hospital, now known as Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. The facility had faced years of management problems before the county transitioned it to nonprofit management in 2017.

“What has followed is nothing short of a renaissance,” Tedesco said. “What used to be seen as a hospital of last resort is now a leader in innovative, quality, compassionate and affordable health care.”

The hospital recently opened a new emergency department that more than doubles its capacity, he said.

Tedesco also highlighted programs supporting veterans, including expanded staffing in the county’s veterans services office. The division secured more than $8 million in benefits for veterans and their families last year, he said.

“Under my administration, Bergen County became the first county in the United States to end veteran homelessness,” Tedesco said. “Not reduce it, not manage it — end it.”

The address also highlighted investments in education. Bergen Community College, the state’s largest community college, continues to expand workforce training programs, while the county vocational school system will open a new career-focused high school this fall.

Tedesco also pointed to ongoing improvements across Bergen County’s nearly 10,000 acres of parkland, including ecological restoration projects, new recreational facilities and upgrades to golf courses and athletic fields.

Looking ahead, the county is studying a potential merger of two regional wastewater utilities that together serve about 80% of Bergen County residents. Tedesco said combining the authorities could streamline operations and improve efficiency.

“We will not hesitate to modernize our institutions when it makes sense to do so,” he said.

Tedesco closed by emphasizing the county’s economic strength, noting that Bergen County accounts for about $82.4 billion in economic activity and roughly 12% of New Jersey’s gross domestic product.

“We are the economic engine of New Jersey,” he said.