Letter To The Editor: Director of Parking and Transportation Ian Sacs

In a letter to all local media, Director of Parking and Transportation Ian Sacs responds to in his capacity as a private Hoboken resident.

I have a deep compassion for my neighbors and my employees, which is why I took this job; it is painful to see them be so cruelly misled. I am deeply concerned that your politically motivated speculations and distortions of the truth lead to more such hate and violence, as it has certainly done so already on many occasions.  I wholeheartedly believe that I have done nothing wrong, the charges are false.  I am confident that nothing will be learned to justify, warrant or support any of the accusations.

 Yesterday, while walking to work, I encountered one of our city shuttle buses at 2nd Street and Willow Avenue illegally parked, unattended, idling, with the keys hanging from the ignition.  Anyone could have stolen the bus, and it was in the crosswalk creating a pedestrian safety hazard. Moreover, it was not where it should be at that time on its route. This is all entirely unacceptable and not an appropriate way to run the community shuttle bus service, for which I am responsible. Not only could the bus have been stolen, the fare box money in the box stolen, the bus taken for a joy ride by kids, or entered and vandalized, but the bus was illegally parked in the crosswalk in such a way and on such a narrow street that it severely blocked visibility and it could have caused a collision, an injury to pedestrians, or in the worst case, a fatality.  Avoiding and preventing these things is exactly what I work hard to achieve each and every day, so to find one of my own vehicles in such a position is extremely alarming.

Whatever the reason the bus was abandoned, running, with the keys in the ignition, it could not remain where it was, running or not.  Since it was my understanding that city employees may operate city vehicles - so long as there are no passengers and contain fewer than 16 seats – I chose to move the bus out of the crosswalk, return it to a safe location at the municipal lot two blocks away, and then investigate why the bus was abandoned in such a precarious location.  The bus was returned and parked legally in the municipal lot.  Since the keys were for a municipal shuttle bus, I did not realize that personal keys were attached to the key ring.

In the lobby of City Hall, on my way to document the incident, I was physically confronted and then attacked in plain view of our on-duty security guard, an on-duty police officer, as well as several other employees and citizens waiting for court.  As the security guard and police officer removed the attacker from me, I then heard him state that there were “personal” keys attached to the ring in addition to the municipal shuttle bus keys.  I immediately had another individual return the personal portion of the key ring.  That alone is the so-called “theft” of which I am accused.

I am admittedly no tough guy. I am no bully. I am no aggressor, and I did not initiate any violence. I maintain a light, friendly, professional rapport with my staff. I am quite successful and content using our laws and rules of employment to get the performance I expect, and all my staff know this. There was no “lighting into”, “threats”, “public berating”, or “verbal firing” as you incorrectly wrote. There was no “throwdown” or “fight” as you incorrectly wrote. I did not “poke” or say “You're finished”, as you incorrectly wrote. I was simply attacked for doing my job as a Director. You should understand that your words, Mr. Klaussen, can incite much unnecessary anger and hate when carelessly chosen.

Although I am stern to the point that I expect each employee to earn their pay (and for that I find no harm), I nonetheless treat all of my employees with respect and empathy, and I make every effort to avoid personnel actions that effect their permanent record if at all possible. It is unfair to characterize me as being “hot tempered”, or to suggest that I have a “strained” relationship with my employees, unless you think that expecting a reasonable level of performance and productivity for one's pay makes a relationship strained.

Ian Sacs, Hoboken Resident

Editor's note: Ian Sacs' letter was originally addressed to the editor of Hoboken411. The paragraphs that were addressed to that editor have been removed from the letter.