During his tenure as Jersey City’s municipal clerk, Robert Byrne estimates he has attended over 1,700 evening council sessions, handled 150 election day results, and has signed over 50,000 marriage licenses.

Now after 31 years in the position, Byrne, 60, has stepped down to enjoy more time with his family — a decision he says was inspired in part by tragedy.

“A dear lifelong friend called me one day last September and after viewing a council meeting on television, asked me how long I was going to continue,” Byrne said. “Two days later, he died suddenly at 59 years old. With his advice echoing in my head, I made the decision to leave the position of city clerk.”

Byrne, the last of six children, was born on July 1, 1959 at the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital. His father, Andrew J. Byrne, was the ward leader in Journal Square in the 1960s.

Byrne attended grammar school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School on Pavonia Avenue with Hudson County Freeholder Bill O’Dea.

O’Dea, who’s been friends with Byrne for over 55 years, said they were patrol boys and altar boys together as kids, and then reunited when O’Dea became a councilman and Byrne was in the clerk’s office.

“He would get in less trouble then I did, I would get in a lot more trouble than him,” O’Dea said, recalling their childhood friendship. “My fondest memories of him were when I did things in school that I probably shouldn’t, I could always count on him not to give me up.

“He helped get me out of trouble, not help get me into trouble.”

Byrne joined the clerk’s office in March 1982 under Mayor Gerry McCann. He expected his time there would short, as he dreamed of being an attorney, but death of his parents changed those plans.

“Unfortunately, my parents passed away during my college career and I couldn’t afford the law schools that accepted me,” Byrne said. “So, the job I expected to spend six months at, became more than I originally planned.”

Byrne officially became the city clerk on Jan. 12, 1989 after working in the mayor’s office for a few years. He credits then-Mayor Anthony Cucci with convincing him to take the job, as he was considering leaving government for the private sector.

In that first year, he was faced with his first municipal election in May. There were over 105 candidates on the ballot: 10 for mayor, 32 for council at large, and each of the six wards were contested by eight to 13 candidates. It was record setting in terms of the number of candidates, Byrne said. He cobbled together seven computers from all over City Hall and had the election results by 9:30 p.m.

Former mayors Bret Shundler and Jerramiah Healy highlighted Byrne as an outstanding city clerk. But his kindness outside of the office is what sets him apart, they said.

Shundler remembers Byrne calling to congratulate him when his daughter got married. “He might call just to say he saw something and comment that I must be proud,” Shundler said.

Not only has Byrne handled multiple elections, but it was because of Byrne that many of the city records were digitized, especially those maintained by the Jersey City Police Department.

Byrne forged relationships with a number of mayors and city council members over the years, but his favorite was former Councilman William Gaughan, who was elected in 1993.

Gaughan, the longest serving councilman, sat side-by-side with Byrne for 20 years as the Heights councilman. The long “100 Steps” stairway, which connects the Jersey City Heights neighborhood to Hoboken, was renamed “Bill Gaughan Way” after a nearly a $1 million restoration that was two decades in the making.

“We became family, celebrating family events together, forming a special bond,” Byrne said. “Bill and I, along with former Council President (Tom DeGise) learned to play golf together.”

When Gaughan, who died in 2016, was formally honored with an ordinance that renamed the steps, Byrne stood and testified to the city council for the first time in his career.

“Robert was the voice of reason, usually the eye in the center of whatever storm might have swept over the Council in those days,” said DeGise, who now serves as Hudson County’s executive.

“We always relied on his judgement and appreciated his wit in those days. He’s served the people of Jersey City very well."

Byrne will be working part time in the Business Administrator’s office. He said it is reminiscent of his pre-clerk years when he worked in policy.

Mayor Steve Fulop said he is sure residents share his sentiment of gratitude for Byrne’s commitment and love of Jersey City.

“It’s sad to see Robert go as he is undoubtedly the best Municipal Clerk in the State of New Jersey,” Fulop said. “Decade after decade, Robert has been a guide for mayors, councils and constituents, and I know when I was both a newly elected councilman and a newly elected mayor, it was Robert that I leaned on.”

He is slowly getting into his new routine, which allows him to do what his evening duties as clerk prevented him from doing. He will be home in Cliffside Park sharing warm meals and spending time with his wife of 30 years, Debbie, and daughter Tina.

“I annoy my wife and daughter when someone asks me where I’m from and I respond Jersey City,” said Byrne. “I tell them, they didn’t ask where I live.”