Jack Drakeford, Englewood Councilman, Dies at 75

Longtime public servant and Englewood City Councilman Jack Drakeford died early Thursday at 75.

Drakeford, known as “dean of the council,” had been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness, the Northern Valley Suburbanite reported.  

"In many respects, Jack was an iconic figure in Englewood, and he touched the lives of many," Bergen County NAACP President Anthony Cureton told the newspaper.

Drakeford served the city in a range of positions, including as a firefighter, city clerk, city manager, acting public works director and public safety director. Drakeford served on the Englewood City Council as President in three decades, 1976, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

“I believe that my greatest achievement was becoming the Chief Executive Officer (City Manager) for the city of Englewood because of the fact that I was born and raised in Englewood, which is not the norm in most cities,” Drakeford said in his profile on the city’s website.

Drakeford was also on the board for Bergen County Habitat for Humanity and the Bergen County Technical School district.

In his city profile, Drakeford noted his trips to Russia and Israel among his most memorable experiences in public service.