Councilman Joseph Delaney

Joseph Delaney is currently serving as a Councilman for The City of Garfield. His love of the community in which he grew up in led him to first run for the Garfield Board of Education in 1993, he continued to be re-elected until 2002 when he decided to run for the Garfield City Council. He was re-elected in subsequent elections and became the Mayor on July 1, 2012.

Once a booming industrial city many businesses relocated leaving many of Garfield’s properties unoccupied. Joe’s focus on economic development, job creation, and land redevelopment has led to the success of several new large development deals which in turn enhances the quality of life for residents in the community. Also, for a city its size, Garfield is rich in open space—most families can walk to one of Garfield’s several parks within five or 10 minutes. The city has several local organizations that can provide opportunities to be physically active including a YMCA, a Community Recreation center and a Boys and Girls Club.

Always committed to the children of the community, Joe started coaching in 1977 with the Garfield Little League coaching the very team sponsored by his family business J & W Caterers. He has also been involved with many youth organizations helping out in any way from coaching, sponsoring a team or just lending a helping hand. Joe has been a member of the Garfield Boys and Girls Club Coaches Association for over twenty years. In 2013 he was given the honor of Supporter of the Year by his fellow coaches. Joe also serves on the Board of Directors for the Garfield YMCA.

While serving as Mayor, Joe was a champion of healthy community development and New Jersey’s Mayors Wellness Campaign initiative. His efforts to provide opportunities for Garfield’s children and families to be more physically active and eat more healthily received national recognition. In 2006 Garfield was selected one of six cities in the nation by the Active Living Resource Center’s to participate in the City Safe Routes to School Program. Under Joe’s tenure the City was awarded several grants from New Jersey’s Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Federal program, the New Jersey Department of Health’s Leaders Academy / Shaping NJ.

Joe has been married to his wife, Yvette, for over 35 years. Together, they raised all 5 of their children in The City of Garfield, all of which attended the Garfield Public School System. Currently, he now has grandchildren that attend school within the district.