New Teaneck Council gets sworn in; minds set on budget

By Megan Burrow, Managing Editor

Teaneck Suburbanite, July 10, 2014

TEANECK - Shortly after each of the elected members took their seats at the July 1 reorganization meeting, the Teaneck Council unanimously chose Lizette Parker as the township's mayor, making her the first female African American mayor in Bergen County.

Parker, who received the most votes in the May election and served as deputy mayor from 2006 to 2010, said she was "deeply grateful and humbled" to serve as the township's mayor as she begins her third term on the council.

Her young daughter, Parker said, "does not realize what's happening today, but she will grow up believing and knowing that she can be whatever she wants to be, even the mayor of Teaneck."

Elie Katz, who was elected to his fifth term on council and had served as mayor from 2006 to 2008, was selected as deputy mayor by a vote of 5-2. New council members Jason Castle and Alan Sohn, who succeeded outgoing council members Adam Gussen and Yitz Stern, nominated Henry Pruitt for the position, but he declined the nomination "in the interest of promoting a collaborative council."

More than 200 people gathered on the municipal green for the swearing in of the new members, and the selection of the leaders of the governing body. Many residents spoke of their hope for a more open and collaborative council, and congratulated Parker, Katz, Castle and Sohn on their new roles.

Parker's selection as mayor "has been a long time coming," said former Teaneck mayor Jacqueline Kates. "I am personally delighted and gratified that you will be leading our governing body," she told Parker.

To the other members of the council, Kates said, "Please remember that consensus is not a four letter word."

Barbara Ostroth asked the council to consider reinstating public workshops.

"I really hope that we can hear you debate collegially in front of your fellow citizens and then take public votes and support those votes once the council has made a decision. That is the way to do business and that is the way to help our community move forward," she said.

Joe Harris commended Pruitt for withdrawing his candidacy for deputy mayor in order to develop a more unified council. "I think that shows tremendous maturity and a desire for the town to be a united town. I hope the politics of our board can turn a page from the politics of previous boards and become a council which is truly representative of the townspeople," he said.

After the oaths had been taken and congratulations accepted, the governing body turned its attention to the tasks ahead, particularly the 2014 budget, which must still be introduced and adopted within the coming weeks.

Councilman Mohammed Hameeduddin, who had served as Teaneck's mayor since 2010, said he learned a lot from both Parker and Katz when he first joined the council in 2008.

"The past four years it has been my honor to be mayor of this town, and I'm so happy I could cast a vote for Lizette Parker tonight," he said. "I really hope that we can come together and support Lizette and Elie and really make them successful. I don't think there are any issues that we can't overcome right now."

Castle encouraged residents to attend meetings, become involved and keep the council honest. "We are only going to be as good as you demand us to be," he said.

Throughout the campaign, residents named high taxes as the number one issue they face, said Sohn. He suggested several ideas to promote transparency and developing better communication with residents. "We need to have an ongoing budget process where the council reviews financial data on an ongoing basis, not just a few meetings once a year," he said. "We need a reinstated financial advisory board to review the operations of our township, and with half a year already passed, we need a budget."

Katz said he is looking forward to working together with the council as a cohesive group. "At the end of the day, regardless of our political feelings, every one of us is up here to make Teaneck a better place."

Parker said she is optimistic for Teaneck's future and looks forward to working as a team to provide the best services for residents. "As a new council we do not have the luxury of a honeymoon period, as we must hit the ground running to fulfill our fiduciary responsibility to introduce and adopt a budget as soon as possible," she said.

To the residents, she added: "Public trust is something that should never be taken lightly. Thank you for your trust and I look forward to serving you as mayor."

She proposed establishing a budget subcommittee comprised of Katz, Pruitt and Sohn, who will work with the manager to submit recommended changes to the council at its July 15 meeting. She also advocated resuming regularly scheduled meetings with the board of education to increase communication between the two groups and explore ways to share services.