FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nathainel Styer | Communications Director
[email protected]
MAYOR SOLOMON APPOINTS JAMES LEAVY AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
25-Year NYC Sanitation Veteran to Lead Modernization and Reform Effort
JERSEY CITY, NJ (April, 15, 2026) — Mayor James Solomon today announced the appointment of James M. Leavy as Director of the Jersey City Department of Public Works, effective April 20. Leavy brings 25 years of municipal operations experience to the role, most recently serving as Borough Chief for Manhattan at the New York City Department of Sanitation — one of the largest and most complex sanitation commands in the United States.
Leavy's appointment signals Mayor Solomon's commitment to professionalizing and modernizing the Department of Public Works, delivering consistently high-quality services to Jersey City residents, and implementing operational reforms identified in the administration's winter storm after action report.
"Jersey City residents deserve a Department of Public Works that is world-class, and James Leavy is the leader to get us there,"
said Mayor James Solomon. "He has spent his entire career mastering exactly the kind of complex, high-stakes urban operations we need to improve here in Jersey City. From storm response to sanitation to fleet management, he has seen it all and delivered results. I am confident that under his leadership, we will modernize how this department operates, raise the bar on service delivery, and make real the reforms our residents have been asking for."
Leavy's career trajectory, from frontline sanitation worker to executive leadership, gives him rare, ground-level insight into large-scale municipal operations. At DSNY, he directed emergency response during major weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic, managed logistics for marquee civic events including the New York City Marathon and Times Square New Year's Eve celebration, and oversaw data-driven improvements to service delivery across Manhattan.
"I've spent my career in service to the public, and I know what it takes to run operations that residents can count on every single day,"
said James Leavy. "Jersey City is a dynamic, growing city, and its residents deserve a Public Works department that meets that moment. I'm eager to get to work alongside this team, implement the reforms that will make our operations stronger and more responsive, and ensure that every neighborhood in this city sees the results."
As Director, Leavy will oversee ten divisions within the Department of Public Works, including Sanitation, Buildings and Street Maintenance, Automotive Maintenance, Forestry, Solid Waste Recycling, Graffiti Removal, Neighborhood Improvement, Demolition, Automobile Impounding, and Administrative Services. He will also serve as the City's liaison to the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority.
Nathaniel Styer
Communications Director | City of Jersey City
[email protected] | 616-403-4693