Peter Eagler returns in person to Clifton City Council following lengthy illness, recovery

On Tuesday, Clifton Councilman Peter Eagler attended the City Council meeting in-person for the first time in about 18 months.

Eagler had been somewhat sidelined during a lengthy illness and spent months in rehab.

For the last year and half he participated virtually. He became ill in March 2021 but was able to attend virtually in July of that year. Eagler spent much of his illness rehabbing at a facility in Wayne.

For the initial portion of his illness, the City Council had been meeting on Zoom, but Eagler had to remain remote when the council returned to meeting in-person last year.

"I was never very far away," Eagler said, adding that applications like Zoom made his participation possible. "I tired to make as many meetings as possible."

His friends said Eagler has regained much of the weight he had lost during his illness and is looking much better.

Most recently things changed for the better and Eagler received his doctor's permission to attend the Polish flag raising at City Hall complex on Oct. 1 for one hour.

On Tuesday, he attended an earlier work session virtually but showed up at the public session.

"It is a wonderful night in Clifton," Mayor James Anzaldi said. "Peter is back. He has been part of city government for all his life. So happy he’s back!"

Eagler, Anzaldi added, managed to attend almost all the meetings despite his illness, calling his participation a profile in courage.

"You went through a tough time in life," Anzaldi said. "Thank you for your steadfast loyalty for the citizens of Clifton."

This year all seven City Council seats are up for reelection and both Anzaldi and Eagler opted not to seek reelection. Eagler said his health would leave him unable to campaign.

More:Clifton's longest-serving mayor, James Anzaldi, not seeking reelection

Both men have spent more than 30 years serving the city as elected politicians.

Anzaldi has been mayor since 1990 and Eagler has also been on the council since 1990 but twice opted to run for other office, serving as a state assemblyman and what was formerly known as freeholder. For a couple of years, he held all three offices simultaneously.

Eagler did not run for council in 2002 but ran and won in 2006. In 2018, he was elected for his sixth council term. In all, Eagler said he has run for election 14 times.

He added that he hopes to be able run again in 2026.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Clifton's Eagler returns to city council council meeting after illness