Politics & Government

Meet Mayor Al Nagy: A Long-Time Newark Serviceman

Newark's new mayor talks about working together for a "better Newark."

Al Nagy is no stranger to serving the City of Newark.

He’s been a city councilmember since 1980 and an active volunteer while balancing his career as a project manager for a Menlo Park-based company and being a husband, father and grandfather.

And today he will continue serving, but in a new capacity.

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Today marks Nagy’s first day as the mayor of the city he has lived in for 43 years.

Nagy won the mayoral seat on Nov. 8 over two candidates after 46 percent of Newark voters chose him as the successor of David Smith, who announced on May 18 he would .

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The 70-year-old has deep roots in Newark, serving and volunteering in various capacities.

He volunteers with Newark Graffiti Abatement and the Newark Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). He’s the treasurer of the Newark Library League and is a founding member of the – a center that has helped people in need for more than 50 years.

And in 2009, he was named Newark Volunteer of the Year.

Nagy said volunteering and working together are ways to bring change to any situation.

Nagy has always been an advocate for community involvement. In the 1970s, he was president of the Newark chapter of the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees), and as he neared aging out of the organization, he looked into other ways to serve Newark.

“I thought how else can I help my community at the level of participation I wanted to participate, and city council was what I wanted to do,” Nagy said.

And 31 years ago, he won his seat on a campaign focused on reducing costs to save funds and planning wisely for growth.

 Throughout this campaign, Nagy said he aims to work for a better Newark during his time as mayor. His top priorities include public safety, fiscal management and improving the city's quality of life.

His goals include recruiting new businesses and rebuilding the city's reserves; building programs for families, senior citizens and our youth and collaborating with the .

Most of his proposals within curbing crime in Newark involve participation from the community at large, including enhancing the city's Neighborhood Watch programs and establishing a Volunteers in Policing program.

“You’re one of 43,000. You can really make a difference in this community. You just have to do it in a positive way,” Nagy said.


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