About HackensackNow
Purpose
Community
HackensackNow is a site that aims to bring the Hackensack Community together. In modern times, any sense of "community" tends to get lost. We no longer have to deal with the same people on a regular basis. We don't visit the butcher, the baker, the cobbler, or even the banker. Much of what we eat and wear is mass-produced by large companies who "distribute" these products to "super centers" and malls, far away from the "Main Street" of old.
While our lives may have been made more convenient, perhaps we lost something. Even while we live on top of each other in massive apartment complexes, many of us are completely removed from the community. Do you know your neighbors? What are your neighbors views? What do you have in common? Does your neighbor share your concerns about your child's education, the environment, urban sprawl, etc. What people and organizations share your views? What opportunities are there for you to help the community? Or, you may simply ask, what's going on around town? This site aims to answer these questions.
Business
In an attempt to re-introduce the City to its local merchants, this site features a Hackensack Business Directory which will eventually contain the name of every business in Hackensack and links to each business web site. This directory will be extremely useful to people eager to support local business. By supporting local business, the City re-invests in itself and thrives. Main Street is in a process of re-development and HackensackNow hopes to contribute to its success by providing affordable advertising to businesses and by providing a local forum wherein Hackensack customers can connect with the Hackensack Business Community.
Government
Quiz: Who is the mayor? Who is on the City Council? What is the City Council? Who is the City Manager? What are his powers? How are your property taxes spent? What is the agenda of the current administration? HackensackNow, and the other sites to which this site points, will attempt to answer these questions. In addition, THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE SITE with a VIRTUAL TOWN HALL including message boards, chat room and polls. By participating in these various forums, visitors will stimulate discussions and voice opinions which, in turn, will facilitate other discussions, opinions, and so forth. This site's primary objective is provide a place where citizens can share concerns, debate issues, and actively decide what the City of Hackensack ought to be. See Politics & Government.
History
This site is also meant to be a repository of Hackensack historical data. Even recent historical data. As a "City in Motion" things tend to get lost quickly. For instance, does anyone have any photographs of the boardwalk at Baldwin Park? The old Pakard's building? The Armory? This site currently contains many old photographs, but it should contain thousands more. Please let us know if you have images and/or documents which may be copied on to the site.
So, while technology and convenience may have contributed to the corrosion of society, it now affords us an opportunity to come together. Hackensacknow looks forward to what may come from a renewed social dialogue.
How to use HackensackNow
The site contains many features that are designed to facilitate discussion of Hackensack issues. The site is broken down in several topics including "property taxes," "parking," etc. Each topic contains a list of recent newspaper articles about that topic. The articles are typically from The Record. (HackensackNow is not affiliated with The Record). Each topic page also contains several links to various organization web sites, none of which are affiliated with HackensackNow. After reviewing the links and/or article, visitors are strongly encouraged to use the Virtual City Hall to chat with other citizens, leave a message on the board or take a poll or survey. Suggestions are needed for polls and surveys. While chat rooms are always open, discussions typically take place at 7:00 pm.
HackensackNow is not affiliated with any political, religious or business organizations. HackensackNow typically does not write the content which appears within its pages. Rather, it links to sites of other organizations and makes every effort to keep the links "balanced". Visitors should email the editor with further questions, comments, or to include links to other organizations.
Visitors are encouraged to submit articles. The decision to publish the articles rests solely with HackensackNow. By submitting an article, visitors agree to allow Hackensacknow to edit the articles for quality. Messages posted in the Virtual City Hall Message boards are not edited, but may be removed if libelous or obscene.
All visitors are expected to treat fellow visitors respectfully. While some issues may get "heated", personal attacks will not be allowed. The message boards are "filtered" for obscene language, but the chat rooms are not since conversations take place in real time. Visitors may "block" offenders in the chat room.
About the Editor
Albert H. Dib is a life-long resident of Hackensack living in the Fairmount section.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks, to Jeanne, Terrance, George, Bill and many others who have assited in the preparation of this site.