Mohammed Hameeduddin remains Teaneck mayor, council members take seats

By Megan Burrow, NorthJersey

NorthJersey.com, July 2, 2018

TEANECK — Mohammed Hameeduddin was sworn in to another term as the township's mayor during an organization meeting on the municipal green Monday. 

Hameeduddin, who served as mayor from 2010 to 2014 and returned to the role in 2016, has served on the Township Council since 2008.

"Ten years has passed in the blink of an eye, and I'm very proud of the accomplishments we've made as a council," he said. "I've never been mayor of one part of Teaneck or another part of Teaneck. I will continue to be the mayor of all of Teaneck."

The council voted 5-2 to appoint Hameeduddin as mayor. The other two votes were cast for Councilman Henry Pruitt.

Deputy Mayor Elie Katz and Councilman Mark Schwartz were voted as the township's two deputy mayors by their council colleagues. All three positions are two-year terms. 

Katz and Gervonn Romney Rice, Keith Kaplan and Jim Dunleavy were all sworn in to four-year terms as council members. Katz, who is serving his sixth term on the council, and Rice, who joined the council in 2016, were both reelected in May. 

Kaplan and Dunleavy, who are new to the council, successfully ran together on a ticket under the slogan "Teaneck Citizens Working for You.”

The council also reappointed John Shahdanian of the firm Chasan, Lamparello, Mallon and Cappuzzo as the township attorney on Monday. 

Among the elected officials at the meeting were Sen. Bob Menendez, Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Jim Tedesco, the Bergen County executive.

"In Teaneck, our diversity as exemplified by this council is a source of strength, not one of fear," Menendez said after the council members were sworn in.

Rice challenged the residents who came to the meeting on the hot summer night to continue attending council meetings and voicing their concerns.

"Today is a reflection of the community and the beautiful mosaic that we are," she said. "It's our duty to represent you, but you residents need to hold us accountable."