Teaneck, New Jersey
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Teaneck is a township located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 39,260.
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Geography
Teaneck is located at 40°53'27" North, 74°0'40" West (40.890964, -74.011156)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 16.2 km² (6.2 mi²). 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.20% water.
Teaneck is bordered to the West by River Edge and Hackensack which lie across the Hackensack River, to the North by New Milford and Bergenfield, to the East by Englewood and Leonia, and to the South by Ridgefield Park and Bogota.
Teaneck has 23 municipally owned parks, of which 14 are developed. Overpeck County Park, which is also in portions of Englewood, Leonia, Ridgefield Park and Palisades Park, is more than 8,000 acres (32 km²) in size, of which about 500 are donated by Teaneck. Major institutions within Teaneck are a campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University and Holy Name Hospital. The Teaneck Armory is the home of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion.
Demographics
As of the census Template:GR of 2000, there are 39,260 people, 13,418 households, and 10,076 families residing in the township. The population density is 2,505.5/km² (6,486.2/mi²). There are 13,719 housing units at an average density of 875.5/km² (2,266.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township is 56.25% White, 28.78% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.16% from other races, and 3.51% from two or more races. 10.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 13,418 households out of which 34.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% are married couples living together, 12.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% are non-families. 21.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.86 and the average family size is 3.34.
In the township the population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township is $74,903, and the median income for a family is $84,791. Males have a median income of $53,327 versus $40,085 for females. The per capita income for the township is $32,212. 4.2% of the population and 2.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.7% of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
The area which is now Teaneck was originally inhabited by the Hackensack Indians, a tidewater tribe of the Lenni Lenape. Settled in the 1600's by Dutch colonists, it was incorporated as the Township of Teaneck in 1895. Some of the oldest homes in America are in Teaneck. The municipality experienced its greatest growth rate between 1920 and 1930 when the population quadrupled. After World War II, there was a second major spurt of building and population growth.
Teaneck's reputation was enhanced when it was selected in 1949 as America's model community. A film made in Teaneck was shown in Occupied Japan as a part of the Army's education program to show democracy in action. The national spotlight focused on Teaneck a second time in the 1960's when it became the first community in the nation to vote for integrated schools. The sequence of events was the subject of a book entitled "Triumph in a White Suburb" written by Township resident Reginald G. Damerell (1968. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc.).
Government
In 1930, the residents voted to establish the nonpartisan Council-Manger form of government. In 1987, a referendum to alter the form was approved, creating staggered terms for the Council. As part of the change, Council elections now take place every two years on the second Tuesday in May. Seven members serve four year terms which expire in even numbered years as follows: four will expire in 2006, three will expire in 2008, etc. Members are elected to the Council at-large.
Township Council
The Council so elected is Teaneck's governing body. It sets policies and standards and passes laws, known as ordinances. It adopts an annual budget and approves contracts and agreements for services. The Council appoints the Manager, Clerk, Auditor, Attorney, Magistrate and Assessor. The Council also appoints seven members of the Planning Board, the members of the Redevelopment Agency, Board of Adjustment, all other statutory and advisory boards.
- Mayor: Jaqueline Kates (term as Councilmember ends in 2008; term as Mayor ends 2006)
- Deputy Mayor: Deborah Veach (term as Councilmember ends in 2008; term as Deputy Mayor ends 2006)
- Michael Gallucci (term as Councilmember ends in 2006)
- Monica Honis (term as Councilmember ends in 2008)
- Elie Y Katz (term as Councilmember ends in 2006)
- Paul Ostrow (term as Councilmember ends in 2006)
- Emil "Yitz" Stern (term as Councilmember ends in 2006)
Mayor
The Mayor, elected from among the Council members themselves, serves for two years. The Mayor presides over all meetings and votes on every issue as a regular member. The Mayor is a member of the Planning Board and the Library Board. The Mayor appoints the members of the Library Board, and one member of the Planning Board. The Mayor executes bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the Township and is empowered by State Law to perform marriages.
Municipal Manager
The Municipal Manager, appointed to the position by the Council, is the Township's full-time professional chief executive officer. The duties include implementation of Council policies, enforcing ordinances and coordination of the activities of all departments and employees. The Manager makes recommendations to the Council on relevant matters, appoints and removes Township employees and investigates and acts on complaints. The Manager also appoints the Municipal Courts Prosecutor and Public Defender, members of the Rent Board and one member of the Teaneck Economic Development Corporation, and one member of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Municipal Clerk
The Municipal Clerk is appointed by and serves as secretary to the Council. Responsibilities include preparing the agenda, keeping minutes, retaining original copies of ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other official documents, acting as a liaison to the public and correspondent on behalf of the Council. The Clerk supervises voter registration and elections, issues licenses for liquor, amusement games, towing, movie theaters and, taxi cabs, compliance certificates for limousines, and commercial parking decals. Copies of the Township Code, Development Regulations, the One-Hundred Year Book, Historic Landmark Guide, Township Street Map and Zoning Map may also be purchased in the Clerk's Office.
Transportation
Highways
Teaneck is situated along a number of major transportation routes, including the northern termini of the New Jersey Turnpike (a portion of Interstate 95) and the eastern terminus of Interstate 80. Route 4 runs east-west through Teaneck, where, unlike all other towns situated along the highway, there is no commercial development. Access to New York City is primarily available for motorists across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee via Route 4.
Public transportation
Bus Service
Bus service is available from New Jersey Transit and private companies such as Red and Tan Lines to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, with frequent service on Teaneck Road, Route 4 and Cedar Lane, and less frequent service on other main streets.
Train Service
While there is no passenger train operation in Teaneck, train service is available on New Jersey Transit on the Pascack Valley Line at the North Hackensack station (in River Edge) and the Anderson Street station (in Hackensack). This line runs north-south to Hoboken Terminal with connections to the PATH train from the Hoboken PATH station and New Jersey Transit Midtown Direct Service to New York's Penn Station via the Secaucus Junction transfer station. Connections are also available at the Hoboken Terminal to New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations.
External links
- Teaneck official website (http://www.TeaneckNJGov.org/)
- Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps (http://www.TeaneckVAC.org/)
- Teaneck Public Schools website (http://www.TeaneckSchools.org/)
- Teaneck Public Library (http://www.Teaneck.org/)
- Teaneck Community Calendar (http://www.TeaneckInfo.com/)