Tracy Silna Zur (original) (raw)

• Law & Public Safety (Chair)
• Health Services (Chair)
• Organization and Internal Affairs Agenda
• Shared Services/Consolidation
• Transportation
• BC Economic Development Corp
• Board of Social Services
• Board of School Estimate:
  - Special Services
• New Bridge Medical Center
• Workforce Development Board (WDB)
• LGBTQ Advisory Committee

Tracy Silna Zur has served eleven years as a Bergen County Commissioner. She is a life-long Bergen County resident, who holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, a law degree from Fordham University, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Rutgers University. Tracy and her husband, Bobby have three children, Coby, Kayla, and Logan.

As a Commissioner, Tracy Zur has many legislative accomplishments, including:

• In 2020, she spearheaded the launch of the Bergen County Food Security Task Force in response to the impacts of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
  • The Task Force conducted a survey of food pantries gather data in order to better understand the face of hunger in Bergen County. It found that in March, food pantries were struggling to meet the increase in demand for food. Over half of the sites surveyed experienced a 50% increase, with some seeing triple the need.
  • 2 million dollars was secured to fight food insecurity from the CARES Act, which enabled the County of Bergen to provide critical infrastructure such as refrigerators and freezers, as well as an emergency food supply to protect pantries from falling short due to supply chain errors.
• Tracy has been an adamant advocate for employment, housing, and social programs for adults with special needs. Her priority is formalizing a county-wide strategic plan for grappling with these post-21 challenges.
  • Her first major accomplishment in this arena was getting Bergen County to be one of two pilots in New Jersey for Project SEARCH. Since the first class graduated in June of 2017, with a successful job placement rate of over 90%, the program has expanded into creating a pod for young adults.
  • In 2020, she advocated for the continuation of the program at the Bergen County Administration Buildings to ensure it remain uninterrupted.
• Commissioner Zur has promoted wellness initiatives including group exercise in the county parks and gardens at both the homeless shelter in Hackensack and at Springhouse, which is a women's clinical halfway house.
• Commissioner Zur has been an avid advocate for mental health and addiction services.
  • In 2015, Tracy, along with Commissioners Sullivan and Voss, advocated for an increase of detox beds at Bergen Regional Medical Center. Today, the beds are now at 82, up from 54 in 2015.
  • In 2017, she, along with County Executive James J. Tedesco III, advocated before the New Jersey State Assembly's Budget Committee to protect state funding for mental health agencies.
  • In 2019, Tracy successfully advocated for the implementation of Teen Mental Health First Aid Training.
• In 2017, she, along with County Executive James J. Tedesco III announced the new operators as CarePlus Bergen, Rutgers Medical School, and Integrity House.
• She championed the formation of the LGBTQ Advisory Committee and launched Bergen County’s annual LGBTQ+ Youth Leadership Summit
• She has been an active member of the Board of Social Services, and her work of the Building Committee brought about a move which resulted in a savings of over $800,000 per year.
• Tracy has been chiefly responsible for formalizing the county's summer internship program to enhance its educational components.
• In 2019, Commissioner Zur spearheaded the banning of polystyrene in all County facilities and parks, in an effort to expand environmental consciousness

Commissioner Zur had extensive professional experience prior to her election. She served as a municipal prosecutor in Hoboken, a judge in Bergen County Central Municipal Court, (the sixth busiest court in New Jersey), and as the Public Defender to both Englewood and Woodcliff Lake. In addition, Commissioner Zur has served as legal counsel to Congressman Bill Pascrell and is a past Commissioner on the Bergen County Utilities Board. She practiced law at several notable firms in the county handling municipal issues as well as criminal defense work, and most recently served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in Jersey City.

Tracy has always been an active member of her community by serving as a Board Member of both the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey as a Women's Philanthropy and Executive Board Member. Additionally, in 2021 she was appointed to serve on the New Jersey Israel Commission.

Lara Pollitt

Clerk to the Board

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Bergen County Board of Commissioners

One Bergen County Plaza • 5th Floor • Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076

Phone: 201-336-6200 • Fax:201-336-6290