UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
MAY 16, 2022
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PUBLISHED BY TEANECK VOICES
Managing Editor, Bernard Rous
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Contents
Unanswered Questions
Notable Women of Teaneck
- Gervonn Charise Romney Rice
This Week in Teaneck - Upcoming Town Meetings
Events at the Library
Voter Registration Information
In Memoriam
Walk the Talk
One Town One Vote Resident Survey
COVID Updates
- Rapid Home COVID tests from the Post Office
- Rodda Center
- New Library Covid Policy
Announcements
- NETBPA Celebrates Loretta Weinberg
- PTA Council Raffle
- Bergen County LGBTQ+ Alliance
- Prayers and Support for Ukrainian People
- Support Teaneck Voices
Masthead
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THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN WAITING
BUT THESE QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED
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For over a year now, Teaneck Voices has been tracking questions that are critical to the well-being of the Residents of Teaneck. These questions can be addressed easily and effectively by our Township Council if they are willing to accept their responsibilities and provide answers to residents with the openness demanded by the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and simple decency.
Teaneck Voices respectfully asks for answers to these questions. Additional explanatory comments are in italics.
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More than one year ago, last March 10th, Teaneck Council, the Teaneck Library and Fairleigh Dickinson organized a community lecture and lab series called Walk the Talk. What is the follow-up to this effort to put "equity into action"?
Simply, “Walk the Talk” means “put your money where your mouth is!” The Mayor promised there would be more to come! Everyone expected a multi-event program. Fourteen months later – Nothing has been done.
- Why has Planning Board Good & Welfare been moved to the end of the meeting – late at night and after all votes have been taken?
At one time in Teaneck, Council meetings and statutory board meetings were required by the Town Code to conduct their public Good & Welfare sessions at 9:00 pm or earlier. At some point in recent years the Code was changed without public announcement.
- Why does the Council use secret subcommittees (there are 16) to make decisions instead of holding Workshop sessions where the public can listen to discussion and decision-making?
Subcommittees are composed of three (3) members, less than a quorum and not subject to OPMA. Subcommittees are used to make decisions affecting the public in secret. They decide and present a decision to Council for its vote, deciding how our lives are affected without our knowledge or input.
Council should use subcommittees only for fact-finding and re-establish workshops for discussion prior to voting.
- Why was the public not informed until March 24 of the existence & membership of the budget sub-committee which would revise the final 2022 Budget decisions prior to its Introduction
Please see discussion above of the use of subcommittees. Does Council think how our tax monies will be used is none of our business?
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When will the Planning Board meet to consider and enact a current & compliant Open Space & Recreation Plan so Teaneck can pursue full Green Acres funding opportunities?
The public has been asking since 2019. No answer, and No Green Acres funding.
- When will the Council hold a workshop or otherwise ask for input from residents with respect to proposed additional parkland located at 611 Roemer Avenue, 1603 Ardsley Court, and 75 Bedford Avenue?
Answers, please?
- What is happening with the proposed Alfred Avenue development?
- Why is Council allowing the construction of a 255-unit building for which the for-profit developer will not pay property taxes?
- When will we get a real update on where the Town is on allowing cannabis development to grow, process, distribute and sell marijuana?
- Has our council ever spoken to Englewood Council about our draining into their drainage system and selling cannabis adjacent to their park?
These changes have been proposed without prior public discussion. The Alfred Avenue site is now a massive hole in the ground surrounded by giant machinery, ripping into the heart of a lovely and placid residential community.
New question: There are now four Smoke shops – two on Cedar Lane, one on Queen Anne Road, and one on Teaneck Road. Are these about to become part of the cannabis invasion?
- What is happening with the Holy Name Medical Center and Good Neighbors agreement - and the recent litigation?
Two of the Planning Board members (Schwartz and Croonquist) participated in votes supporting Holy Name while having illegal conflicts of interest. All decisions about the hospital in which they were involved cannot hold. Is that why Council has withdrawn its recent hospital zoning ordinance and is starting the whole hospital zoning ordinance process over again on Tuesday night at the next council meeting?
- Do Teaneck Council and Planning Board still maintain that the American Legion Drive properties constitute a blighted Area in Need of Redevelopment (AINR)?
At present Council and the Planning Board are using AINRs in several attractive and productive sites in Teaneck to avoid adherence to the Master Plan and the town’s housing values. Why? Under AINR consideration are portions of Cedar Lane and Beverley Road (including some beautiful azaleas and other plantings) and Teaneck Road between DeGraw and Fort Lee Aves, the landmark DeGraw shopping district. Are the Council and Planning Board seeking to change the character of Teaneck as envisioned by the residents in our Master Plan?
- Is the council planning to honor Former Senator Weinberg in any way - to recognize her as a daughter of Teaneck, for her years of service on the Council, General Assembly and State Senate? Is the Council really considering anything - possibly renaming a park or street after her?
Where is the pride in having one of Teaneck’s residents be an admired leader of the State of New Jersey? The Council has appointed a subcommittee (see above) to decide when to honor a noteworthy person (e.g. five years after they retire or after they’re dead).
- Why doesn't Deputy Mayor Katz ever tell us why - for years - he has "abstained" on every vote Council takes on how the Township expends its funds (the Bill List) and frequently also abstains on Council's vote on the entire Consent Agenda? And why did he abstain on the vote to approve the Town's Master Plan?
Unfortunately, the Teaneck Code does not require a reason for abstaining or recusing oneself. Nonetheless, the voting public is owed explanations. They have elected the officials to act on their behalf. Abstentions and choices to recuse, if used with great frequency, are basically a dereliction of duty.
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GERVONN CHARISE ROMNEY RICE
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Gervonn Romney Rice, a pillar of quiet strength, was born into the Teaneck that was the model of integrated schools, inclusion, and acceptance of all. Her grandparents moved from the Bronx to the Township in the late 1950’s when Gervonn’s mother was a teenager.
As a child she lived the dream that Teaneck was supposed to be forever. Bused to Whittier for elementary school, Gervonn laughs as she recalls the differences she remembered between students in her day: Cafeteria (bused) kids and home lunch (neighborhood) kids. Except the several like Gervonn, bused, but friendly with so many neighborhood kids that she was invited home for lunch almost every day.
Of course, even in its glory days, Teaneck was not perfect. Gervonn’s father was a Teaneck firefighter, one of a handful of African-American firemen in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. He died of a heart attack at age 45. Gervonn glows when she speaks of the pride she felt at his funeral – all the firefighters lined up on Teaneck Road in their dress blues. She remembers being overwhelmed with the esteem in which his colleagues held him.
But she also remembers some of the stories he would share – ostracized or ignored in the cafeteria; her mother meeting him for lunch so he wouldn’t have to eat alone; garbage in his boots. But she emphasizes that those things were never the highlight for him. “He dealt with it, ensuring he focused on displaying character traits above retaliation and that showed his desire to raise his family in a community that was diverse. That was the way things were. Those were the early years of integration” she continues. “My father grew to be respected, admired, and honored demonstrating he overcame the discrimination he initially experienced.”
When Gervonn ran for office the first time – for a seat on the Board of Education – she visited a firehouse to see if they remembered her dad and the Romney family. She visited with then-Chief Robert Montgomery. With tears in his eyes, Chief Montgomery talked about her dad. “I saw your father deal with unimaginable circumstances. But," he continued, “the content of his character that shined through is what really changed so many people.”
Gervonn believes she shares the quiet nature of her father’s character. Regrettably, as a councilmember, she has shared some challenges like those her father experienced. While she can speak up powerfully about diversity, equity, male chauvinism, and such, despite not seeing change nor focused attention to these issues, she can only hope that the quiet content of her character modeled on her father will serve her ultimate goal.
That goal is to perpetuate the normalcy of growing up in a diverse community. For Gervonn, the definition of that goal is Inclusion, Equity, Acceptance.
Interestingly, Gervonn’s analysis of the present challenges in Teaneck is that “Some people have taken this too far. They feel that Teaneck is so special that they should own it and make it belong exclusively to one community.” She continues, “That bothered me. I wanted to perpetuate the experiences in the community I grew up in. That’s why I got involved. That was the WHY I ran for office.”
Gervonn never planned to be a “politician.” Married to Willie Rice for over 31 years, and the proud mother of three sons, Gervonn used to introduce herself as “the CEO of the Rice Family.” For her, circumstances – the threat to the community she grew up in -- led to her running for office.
And, advocating for her three sons, one with special needs, gave her the knowledge and skill to become an elected advocate for all the children and all residents of Teaneck.
Gervonn became an advocate as a Board of Education Trustee, elected for three terms - nine years - serving three years as the Vice-President. She feels proud of the Boards on which she served; “We always served all the children of Teaneck. We never served any one group. We advocated for all, as we were elected to do.”
Gervonn has continued her advocacy after serving on the Board of Education. Her leadership led to her appointment to the Teaneck Council in 2016 after the loss of Mayor Lizette Parker. Then in 2018 she was a successful candidate for a full council term coming in as the top vote recipient by over 700 votes. She served as the only female councilmember until July 1, 2020 and remains the only Black person on the Council of this very diverse community.
Gervonn is currently the Parent Liaison of the Early Childhood Pre-K program for Teaneck Public Schools, but her life has been full of community service and volunteer activities. These include:
- PTO Past President at Bryant School
- PTO Council Past President
- Past Executive Board Member of Special Parents of Teaneck
- As Teaneck Councilwoman
- Responsible for establishing Teaneck as a Stigmas Free Town
- Organized a Covid vaccine education forum by Black Doctors and assisted in equitable access to information and the vaccine
- Member of the NAACP
- Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Board Member of Never Alone Again Domestic Violence Resource Center
Gervonn has received numerous awards including “Mother of the Year” by the Bergen County Chapter of The Links, “Making a Difference in the Community Award” by Omega Psi Phi, and the Community Impact Award by Kappa Alpha Psi.
Gervonn Romney Rice still believes in the Teaneck that can be. “So many people moved here for diversity and inclusiveness. But so many haven’t realized that those qualities don’t sustain themselves. It takes hard work to sustain the Teaneck we believe in. What we have doesn't come without a fight.”
“We have what we have because of the hard work of those who came before us. We stand on their shoulders. Any badge of honor we wear came at their cost.”
What makes her most proud? First, her three young adult sons and their inclusive perspectives with a special mention to her youngest, her special needs young man whose goal is to be like his mother, a Voice for the Voiceless. And she is proud of her ability to still stand in the face of adversity -- stand and stand up for the Teaneck that can be.
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THIS WEEK IN TEANECK
UPCOMING TOWN MEETINGS - MAY 16 TO 23, 2022
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Of the four meetings listed on the Town calendar this week, there is one that is not happening. According to the Board of Adjustment's Secretary, their Special Meeting scheduled for this Thursday evening May 19th, will not take place.
The Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday will be a hybrid one (both in person and by zoom).
The Board of Education continues to hold its meetings remotely.
And Thursday’s Senior Citizen’s Advisory Board meeting is not available to the public unless by special arrangement.
Note: Teaneck Voices’ website provides updates about Town meetings as new information becomes available during the week.
Teaneck Council Meeting
Tuesday May 17, 2022 at 8:00 pm.
For the first time, this meeting is hybrid with in-person participation at the Council Chambers. To participate by zoom Click Here and enter passcode 107068.
To watch without the opportunity to participate:
- View on Public Access (Ch. 77 - Optimum. Ch. 47 - Fios); or
- View on www.teanecknj.gov “Agendas & Minutes”
The first opportunity for public input will come with the public hearing on ordinances.
Apparently Council has decided to place a number of highly controversial items on the agenda without any real explanation of what it is that they are trying to accomplish.
- Proposed Ordinance #18-2022 is an Ordinance to further change the “deal” with the for-profit developer from Fort Lee to construct the controversial senior affordable housing facility at Teaneck Rd and Beveridge (1425 Teaneck Road). The original approved AINR plan was for the Town to lease this municipally-owned property to the developer for 75 years. But – without any explanation - the deal was changed to selling the property to the developer for the same price as the initial lease payment! This ordinance would now complete the new deal by agreeing that the developer does not ever have to pay real estate taxes on what the Town will have just sold to him for a song! Take Action: Ask questions about this special "deal" during the Public Hearing on Ordinances. The only other opportunity for input comes during Good & Welfare.
Notes: This week there are major significant resolutions on the Consent Agenda as well as draft ordinances scheduled for introduction which really deserve review and comment from Teaneck residents.
- Resolutions 127-2022 and 129-2022 help to create a brand new blighted Area in Need of Redevelopment (AINR). The area covers what is now mostly a residential zone for single family homes (R/S). It includes the controversial property proposed for a 20-unit rental facility at 54 W. Englewood Avenue. The most likely explanation for these two new proposals is that Council anticipated that the Board of Adjustment would turn down the 54 W. Englewood multi-family apartment proposal for clearly violating the Master Plan and has decided to define a large Area in Need of Redevelopment that just happens to include 54 W. Englewood Ave. This is perhaps the clearest proof yet that no single family neighborhood is safe when Council decides to seize control of a neighborhood from the normal zoning process. Ask your questions and comment on these two proposals during Good & Welfare.
- Resolution #130-2022 seeks formal Council approval of the settlement of the latest Town loss of a court case to Hillary Goldberg because of the Town’s wrongful handling of her OPRA request. The judge mandated the settlement to include payment of fees to the plaintiff’s lawyer.
- Resolution #128-2022 seeks approval to appoint another lawyer (Christos Ditkas of Fort Lee) to handle the Holy Name litigation case. It is striking that the resolution does not state the obvious reason for a new lawyer, namely, that Town Attorney Shahdanian's handling of the hospital expansion ordinance adopted by Council has became a major piece of the Neighbor’s legal complaint!
And two new ordinances are being Introduced this week:
- Proposed Ordinance #21-2022A entitled “Revision & Recodification of Ordinances.” It is literally 32 pages of Town Code changes being proposed by Council – and in most cases we are not told what it is that is being changed. Teaneck Voices analysts spent considerable time perusing these code changes and concluded they could not readily tell how major or significant most of the changes actually are! Some are clearly intended to give Council and other officials fewer transparency requirements. Take Action: residents need to find out what is being changed before the June 28th meeting when this recodification will be up for adoption.
- Proposed Ordinance #22-2022 combines the repeal of Ordinance #9-2022 just approved by Council to expand the hospital zone with the re-introduction of that very same hospital zone expansion ordinance. Why this strange maneuver? The new ordinance explicitly says the repeal is because of the conflict-of-interest charges brought to court by the neighbors. Now the same ordinance is scheduled for re-adoption on June 14th!
Teaneck Board of Education Workshop
Wednesday May 18, 2022 at 8:00 pm by zoom – see below.
This Board of Education Regular Meeting will take place virtually. For the Zoom webinar with the ability to make comments or ask questions -
Public comment can only be made if you attend the meeting via the Zoom app. Instructions on how to download the Zoom app can be found on the district website at www.teaneckschools.org
Senior Citizen Advisory Board
Thursday May 19, 2022 at 1:30 pm
Public access and opportunity for input limited by the Advisory Board ordinance (*See ordinance below)
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*Quote from Ordinance 15-2020 on Advisory Boards adopted by Council on August 11, 2020:
“Council’s advisory Board meetings are closed to the public. The public can submit items for discussion to the Council’s advisory board chair and council liaison for review and potential for inclusion on their meeting agenda. If the item is placed on the agenda, the chair, with approval of their Council’s advisory board, may invite the member of the public to come and speak to them about the specific issue they want to have discussed”.
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If you are not registered to vote, please make it a priority to do so. To complete a registration form or for more information regarding voting in Bergen County, please click onto the this link.
If you are not sure if you are registered to vote in Teaneck, you may search here.
To check the details of your voter record, you may sign up here.
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WALK THE TALK
by Laraine Chaberski
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What happened to the follow up sessions?
In the winter of 2020 Mayor James Dunleavy and Councilwoman Gervonn Romney-Rice, along with selected FDU faculty members, began planning an event that enlisted the aid of community members with the goal of bringing the widely divergent groups in Teaneck together to build a better, more unified whole.
“Walk the Talk” was billed as an ongoing series of community events to follow after the two introductory sessions in March.
Nationally recognized social justice scholars, Dr. Khyati Joshi and Dr. Jason Williams, designed the program. Select FDU faculty members worked with Interim Director McGinley of the Teaneck Library and with community members from December 2019 until March 2020 to create a structure to facilitate community discussions. Participants were to strategize how to build a better and more unified Teaneck from a diverse town where groups tended to isolate from one another.
Because the program began in March 2020 the beginning of “Walk the Talk” coincided with the pandemic and all who had registered for the program learned that participation would be virtual. Community members were trained to be facilitators of the groups. Facilitators were responsible for creating safe spaces for community participants to share their experience of living in Teaneck.
Facilitators explained the guidelines to each of the break out groups which contained six to eight participants. Care was taken to set boundaries for sharing, advice was given to listen respectfully to participants, share speaking time, and to respect different perspectives.
Each group met for about 45 minutes and reconvened to share what was discussed in the breakout sessions. Faculty organizers took notes promising to share information with the Town Council and participants. The participants were led to believe their work would form a foundation for follow-up activities in the community. Unfortunately, there was no follow-up and ideas that emerged from the sessions which energized and excited some participants never came to fruition.
Critical issues and themes raised by the breakout groups were:
How do we bridge the divide between young people since there are public schools, yeshivas and charter schools and the youth do not usually meet each other?
How do we come together as a community both socially and politically?
How do we set up more regular dialogue?
How do we create a community that is more actively involved in the democratic process (information, education, participation)?
How do we learn about each other’s cultures?
The breakout groups suggested many good ideas about how to address these issues, but there is no plan to continue this program. This failure to continue the program is unfortunate because as the authors of the report stated, “We were very encouraged when we began to work with community members because it quickly became evident that Teaneck is a place that has incredible people who care very much about their greater community. We would encourage the Township Council to continue these talks and begin thinking about ways to work on new projects that draw on the strengths of the Teaneck Community.”
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School District Dedicates Media Center in Memory of Lois Bono
By LaVerne Lightburn
On Tuesday, May 17th at 6:30 PM the Teaneck School District will formally dedicate the Media Center at Hawthorne Elementary School in memory of Lois Bono.
Lois Bono taught for 50 years and was "that" first grade teacher who inspired students to enjoy education during their formative years. The educational experience in Mrs. Bono's class combined knowledge, fun, teamwork, individuality, and warmth. She eliminated any fear of school and prepared her students to embrace the challenges of the day and future endeavors just as a loving mother would. She was a teacher who continued to inspire, innovate, and challenge her students even as they became adults.
Devoted to both her students and the Teaneck community she often attended school activities, town meetings and established the Lois Jean Bono College Scholarship for the Community Scholarship Fund of Teaneck.
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ONE TOWN ONE VOTE RESIDENT SURVEY
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One Town One Vote (OTOV) is a grassroots, nonpartisan volunteer organization that worked with other community groups to make it easier and more convenient for Teaneck residents to vote for their local leadership by unifying Teaneck’s stand-alone town council elections, previously held in May, to take place on the same day as the General Elections in November. Tuesday, November 8, 2022 will be the first time Teaneck residents will have the opportunity to vote for town council members at the same time as we vote for other local, state, and national officials.
In anticipation of this historic event, OTOV is conducting a town-wide survey on resident issues and concerns. We need your input! Your responses will help us achieve our ongoing goal of helping to listen, educate, organize, and empower residents on local issues so your voice matters and your vote counts in the November elections. Your information will not be shared with any other organization.
Please click here to take the One Town One Vote resident survey! Your voices will be heard, your voices will count!"
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Rapid COVID-19 Test Kits Available for Free from USPS
Free at-home COVID-19 tests ordered on www.covidtests.gov and delivered by USPS. Limit of 2 orders per household. Each order contains 4 individual tests
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RODDA CENTER
In an effort to keep the senior center staff and participants safe, mask wearing
and social distancing are required.
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Please register in advance for this NTBPA event at:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar
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TEANECK PTA COUNCIL RAFFLE
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TEANECK VOICES OFFERS ITS PRAYERS AND SUPPORT
TO THE BRAVE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FREEDOM
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SUPPORT TEANECK VOICES
CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME
It is our mission to achieve integrity, transparency, responsiveness, diversity, and social justice in Teaneck governance.
Help us continue to publish by sending a contribution to
Teaneck Voices, P. O. Box 873, Teaneck, NJ 07666-0873
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Editorial Board
Natalee Addison
Laraine Chaberski
Toniette H. Duncan
LaVerne Lightburn
Charles W. Powers
Bernard Rous
Micki Shilan
Barbara Ley Toffler
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Supporters
Denise Belcher
Juanita Brown
Margot Embree Fisher
Gail Gordon
Guy Thomas Lauture
Gloria Wilson
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Contributors
Bettina Hempel
Dennis Klein
Henry Pruitt
Howard Rose
Advisors
Theodora Smiley Lacey
Loretta Weinberg
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