Teaneck Progress

Good luck and God Bless

2011-08-27T20:30:00.001-04:00

PSE&G makes final storm preparations as state braces for Hurricane Irene

About 840 linemen, 540 tree contractors will be working around the clock
to restore electric service

Customers should be prepared for potentially lengthy outages

Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) Company is making final storm preparations to deal with the potential for significant equipment damage and extended customer outages as a result of Hurricane Irene.

"Our state has never before experienced a storm of this magnitude," said Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G president and COO. "PSE&G will have about 6,000 employees supporting the restoration effort, including 840 linemen and 540 tree contractors available to respond to outages once the hurricane pulls away. While our electric system has been recognized as the most reliable in the nation, we expect significant damage from the extraordinary wind and rain expected to pummel New Jersey this weekend. Full restoration could take between one and three weeks."

LaRossa added, "The safety of our customers and employees is first and foremost. We will begin restoring service as soon as conditions are safe to do so. We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our customers as we deal with what may be an unprecedented event."

In addition to widespread electric outages, PSE&G expects the heavy rain and predicted storm surge to result in gas outages. Water could enter the utility's gas distribution system, as well as flood customers' basements and gas appliances. Customers are reminded to call PSE&G to report gas odors, and contact their local fire department and municipal construction office to receive assistance in pumping the water out of their basements.

Electric crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment. At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers.

To report downed wires or power outages, customers should call PSE&G's Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. PSE&G uses an automated system to handle customer calls as efficiently as possible. Customers who get an automated response when calling PSE&G are encouraged to use it, as it is designed to route their calls to the right destination quickly. The system also provides the option to speak directly to a customer service representative. If you have specific information regarding damage to wires, transformers or poles, we ask that you speak with a representative to provide that information.

Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.

If outages are widespread, the utility will activate its Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at http://twitter.com/psegoutageinfo to monitor restoration progress.

PSE&G offers the following important information for customers:

DOWNED POWER LINES
Heavy rain and strong winds can cause power lines to come down. Downed wires may appear dead but should always be considered "live." STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES . Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with. Parents are urged to check for downed wires in areas where their children might play and to remind the children to stay far away from any wires. If a wire falls on a vehicle, passengers should stay in the vehicle until help arrives. To report a downed wire, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street.

CUSTOMERS WITH LIFE-SUSTAINING EQUIPMENT
Individuals who rely on electricity to operate life-sustaining electronic equipment, such as a respirator or dialysis machine, should pre-register with PSE&G to receive priority attention in the event of an outage. To request the service, call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG. They should also inform their rescue squads and fire departments of their needs, in case of emergency. Even though customers with life-sustaining equipment who have registered with PSE&G will receive priority attention during outages, they should also have emergency back-up equipment on hand, since immediate restoration cannot be guaranteed.

IF YOU LOSE POWER
First check your neighborhood. If you are the only one without power, check your fuse box for tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses. If that's not the problem, look outside at the wire between your house and the utility pole. If it is down, report it immediately to PSE&G.

If you lose power:

KEEP REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER DOORS CLOSED. Food will stay frozen between 36 and 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer (24 hours in a half-full freezer).
Know how to open your garage door without the electric opener.
Remember, electric well and sump pumps will not operate.
Unplug all motor-driven appliances like refrigerators and freezers and sensitive electronic equipment (like TVs, microwaves and computers) to prevent a possible electrical overload when power is restored.
Leave one light switch on to indicate when power is restored.

IF YOU USE A PORTABLE ELECTRIC GENERATOR, CAREFULLY READ AND FOLLOW THE MANUAL THAT CAME WITH IT. Be sure your generator is UL-approved, installed by a licensed electrician and inspected by your local electrical inspector. There must be a way to physically disconnect your generator from utility lines. Customers who improperly install, operate or maintain a generator are responsible for any injury or damage suffered by themselves, their neighbors or utility workers.

FLOODED BASEMENTS
Flooded basements can pose a genuine safety risk. Below are some steps you can take to help ensure your safety in the event of flooding:

Be cautious in flooded basements.
If customers lose electricity and their basement is flooded, notify PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) and call the local fire department to have the basement pumped. Stay away from the breaker box if it's in a flooded basement. And don't go into a flooded basement if energized wires are present.
If water is rising to the height of any gas appliance, the gas supply to the appliance should be turned off. If customers are unable to do so, please contact PSE&G or your local police or fire department for assistance. To restore gas service to appliances call PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) and have the appliances checked for safety and restored to proper operation.
Customers should call PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) immediately if they smell gas.

GENERAL TIPS:
Mother Nature can be unpredictable. It's wise to have an emergency kit on hand year round. Here are some things to include:

A battery-powered radio.
A corded telephone (cordless phones will not work if the power is out)
Flashlights and extra fresh batteries.
A first-aid kit.
Bottled water and an adequate supply of non-perishable food.
A non-electric can opener.
Matches and candles with holders.
Extra blankets and sleeping bags.
A list of emergency phone numbers, including PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG. Call this number to report power outages or downed wires.

Open thread to discuss Teaneck Board of Ed meeting and busing

2011-08-04T09:37:00.001-04:00

Yet another lawsuit against Teaneck......with a twist

2011-06-16T10:04:00.005-04:00

In an attempt to capture the news-cycle before people get to discuss the merits of the case, Councilwoman Barbara Ley Toffler, Ph.D has issued the letter below.

I'm not sure how it will turn out, but there's no arguing with Barbara on one point: "Teaneck deserves better governance". When are you up for re-election, Barbara?

This is the email that came along with the attachment:

Dear Friends,

As the attached open letter explains, my attorney Erik today has filed a complaint on my behalf with the Superior Court of Bergen County against the Council of Teaneck for violation of my constitutional rights in the matter of the February 8 censure of me.

I want all of you to hear about this from me before it becomes public.

With sincere regards,
Barbara

toffler_v_Teaneck

Don't forget to vote

2011-04-22T15:57:00.002-04:00

On 4/27, the School Board Elections will be taking place.
Please take the time to look into each of the candidates and come out and vote.

I received this is my door today - I agree with Ned and felt like posting it here (in case anyone still reads the blog).

Letter from Ned Goldman

Municipal Hours

2011-03-24T17:39:00.004-04:00

At this week's meeting, the topic of the municipal schedule was brought up again. Several people in attendance made requests for the municipal building to be open until 9pm to accomodate commuters (like myself) that find it difficult to get to the municipal offices during business hours (when we are working).

The Record has a letter from Laura Zucker which outlines the problem. While I can understand why some people on the council may find it difficult to change what has essentially been a two year "experiment", I would recommend they do so.

On a completely separate note, council-woman Parker asked the Manager if a harassment training workshop session could be re-arranged because it was only offered during the day and "she works".

I totally understand where you're coming from Ms. Parker and I hope it works out for you.

Barbara Tofler Censured

2011-02-08T22:24:00.004-05:00

The record is reporting that at tonight's council meeting, the Township Council formally censured Councilwoman Barbara Toffler for leveling “erroneous and unsupported” allegations against Township Manager William Broughton and Police Chief Robert Wilson on Tuesday.

You can read the full story here.

The resolution stated that the Police Chief and Township Manager did nothing wrong in connection with a ticket Ms. Toffler received and admonished the councilwoman for interference with Government Operation, specifically asking the clerk to withhold public information sought pursuant to an OPRA (Open Public Records Act) Request.

The resolution was passed 5-0, with councilwoman Parker abstaining.

This meeting came on the heels of a Teaneck 2020 meeting, held at the Bryant School the day before at which Toffler spoke.

According to Teaneck 2020's website: "There are significant concerns about the transparency and responsiveness of our town government."

Considering that Toffler stands censured for blocking an OPRA request and during the prior week, she asked the township attorney for a legal opinion on how to block members of the public from exercising their free speech at town hall meetings - I'd say that there are significant concerns indeed.

That's one person who won't be getting a township vehicle anytime soon

2011-01-06T21:15:00.003-05:00

According to Teaneck Patch , councilwoman Barbara Toffler was cited for leaving the scene of a hit and run across the street from the municipal building in the Cross River Bank parking lot.

According to the article, "Toffler said the story was being spread by political opponents on the Township Council in retaliation for her speaking out against the creation of a public safety director position."

Personally, I think it's because she hit another car and thought she could get away from it. While that is generally frowned upon (and illegal - hence the citations and mandatory court appearance), the fact that it was an elected official makes this story a bit worse. But if you feel otherwise, feel free to sound off in the comments.

New Blog and Facebook page on Sustainability

2011-01-05T15:28:00.003-05:00

As some of you know, I chair an advisory commission on sustainability here in Teaneck. We have created a blog: teaneckgreen.wordpress.com to provide information about saving money while saving the earth. Sections include saving energy, making your landscaping "green" and buying earth-friendly products. Comments are permitted as of now, but unlike here, they will be moderated to keep things civil and on point. No politics.

We also created (though it is still early in development of content) a facebook page to promote the expanded recycling program. Search for TeaneckRecycles (one word) and become a fan! Calendar info will be added as we move ahead.

The economy has claimed another Cedar Lane hallmark

2011-01-04T10:17:00.002-05:00

Leanna Halbrecht, the owner of Animations on Cedar Lane says that a combination of the internet and the economy are forcing her to close her doors. Animations will end its 10 year streak on Cedar Lane on Jan. 6.

I've shopped there many times over the years and the only thing more depressing than seeing their empty window will be when another bank takes it over next month.

You can read more here.

NJ has declared a State of Emergency

2010-12-26T18:58:00.004-05:00

Update - State of Emergency is over.

This showed up in my mailbox and I thought I'd pass it along:

Snow Emergency Update from Elie Y. Katz

11:15pm 12/26/10

Teaneck Municipal Building CLOSED on Monday

Teaneck - Municipal Building offices will be closed on Monday, December 27th, due to the declared state of emergency. All Non-Emergency Municipal Operations will be closed for business.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, serving as acting governor with Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno traveling out of state, declared a state of emergency this evening.

The snowfall was forecast to continue through Monday morning's rush hour, with the heaviest precipitation in the state's northern region and coastal areas, said meteorologist Jim Hayes of the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. Wind gusts were forecast for up to 60 mph. A blizzard warning was to remain in effect through 6 p.m. Monday.

Sweeney, who is serving as acting governor until Friday, wants New Jerseyans to keep off the roadways during the state of emergency.

"It is vital that police and public works crews are able to do their jobs," he said. "I urge all residents to take this declaration and this storm seriously, and to stay safe, stay home and stay off the roads. We will continue to monitor this storm with the help of our State Police and transportation officials."

Hospital & Ambulance Update

In Case of EMERGENCY....don't wait to call 911!!!

There are four ambulance crews on duty.

Arrangements were made for Holy Name staff working today to sleep at the hospital tonight. Earlier today security was picking up staff that lives nearby. They will try to do that tomorrow morning, too. Some staff members were calling and offering to come in without being asked.

Holy Name is adequately staffed to take care of all patients.

A Message from: TEANECK
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

With the current MAJOR WINTER STORM THAT IS IMPACTING TEANECK TODAY THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON we want to remind residents to remove their vehicles from the roadway to facilitate plowing. We also ask that residents not obstruct fire hydrants and when possible clear them.

**Furthermore, we ask that residents avoid driving unless absolutely necessary.

Chief Robert Wilson

Office of Emergency Management

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Teaneck Fire Dept Important Notice:

The Fire Department reminds you of the following information during this snow event:
Make sure your number is visible on your residence in case you contact emergency services.
Do not block any hydrants with snow or garbage cans, ect.
If possible, clear your closest hydrant of snow to make it more accessible for fire department units.
Be careful of carbon monoxide build-up in your home.
Do not run your car, generator or any other gasoline device inside your home or garage. They must be run outside of your home to prevent CO buildup.

Your neighborhood fire alarm box can be used to summon help if your phone does not work. The boxes are independent of the telephone and electrical companies and work during power failures.

Chief Anthony Verley
Teaneck Fire Department

Please be careful when shoveling and operating snow blowers.

Thank you,

Elie Y. Katz

PS: Please feel free to forward this email. To be added to my personal email list for periodic updates, please email me at: Katz07666@gmail.com

This email is not an official township email. Check out my website: Katz07666.com

It's that time of year again, prepare to be scared into giving!

2010-12-19T21:31:00.002-05:00

I've asked around and not everyone has received this flyer (as of yesterday) so I thought I'd post it here to see if it went town wide. It's a wonder anyone still lives here - I'm tempted to flee for safer pastures.

PBA Mailer

It's that time of year again.

2010-12-09T11:07:00.004-05:00

From Teaneck Patch:

I just want to remind you now as we enter the snow time of year, that Teaneck does not allow parking on the street during and immediately after a snowfall. This ordinance is not just vital for the cleanliness of our town, but also for the safety of our residents and to enable emergency vehicles to pass.

And I ask those who will be away at some point during the winter, please arrange to have your property shoveled. Last year some houses had ice on their walks for months—and ice can be deadly for pedestrians.

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and safe holiday season,

--Elie Y. Katz
Elie Y. Katz is a member of the Township Council

[Also - be aware that a new law is in effect which makes it a ticketable offense to drive without clearing the snow off of the top of your car! Fines for violating the new law range from $25 to $75. - Swiggle]

Res ipsa loquitur

2010-11-21T17:42:00.000-05:00

The meeting goes off the rails around 2:45 in.
The entire video can be found here.

Get out and vote for somebody

2010-11-01T17:12:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow is Election Day. No matter who you vote for, get out and vote!!!
If you aren't sure where to go, google wants to help you:
Check on po lling locations here

P(T)SD

2010-11-01T09:23:00.003-04:00

The public Safety Director position is not in place today. For those who haven't read about it yet, the Teaneck PBA filed suit last week to halt the move. Current Police Chief Robert Wilson took back his retirement papers while the Court clears up the matter.

Of course this put the town in a pickle. With Chief Wilson no longer retiring, the Chief's Bill of Rights said that the town couldn't fire him - yet the position was going to be done away with as of today. Therefore, the town requested, and was granted, a stay of its ordinance creating the position of public safety director, merging the police and fire departments and abolishing the positions of police and fire chief.

There will be a closed door session of the Council tonight to decide how to proceed. There's also a discussion going on over at Teaneck Patch if anyone is interested.

If you have a copy of the complaint, please forward it to swiggle.blog@gmail.com and I'll post it here.

Get ready to clean out those garages!

2010-10-25T17:45:00.002-04:00

According to the article in today's Record (link here), the town will soon be doubling its collection of recyclables from every four weeks to every two. They will also be adding mixed paper and cardboard to the list of acceptable items.

"Residents will receive a 32-gallon container for cans and bottles before the pickups begin Jan. 3, as well as a calendar outlining the new schedule."

"The township also will reduce the hours of the recycling depot, although the specific times have not yet been determined, Broughton said."

I don't know about you, but the current system just led to a stack of cardboard in either the basement or the garage until it got unmanageable, so this is a welcome change as far as I'm concerned.

Just out of curiosity, how many of you are more likely to through recyclable items into the regular trash because of the current system? Tell us in the poll on the left.

Teaneck police officer dies following crash

2010-10-25T09:27:00.003-04:00

The Star-Ledger reports that a Teaneck police officer was killed in a one-car accident involving his cruiser colliding with a tree on Teaneck Road near Police Headquarters at 2:00 AM Monday morning. See here for further details.

I was in a car driving past the intersection of Palisade Avenue and The Plaza last night, where John Abraham was one of the officers who responded to the report of a patron choking at Etc. Steakhouse just hours before he died, as reported here by The Record.

Au Revoir

2010-10-18T10:52:00.002-04:00

After a five year stint at here Teaneck Progress, I am breaking away to create a personal blog that is more suited to my sensibilities and eclectic range of interests. I will probably talk about national and global politics and trends, food, music, religion, human rights, sustainable living and historic topics.

I’m still interested in local affairs, particularly as they relate to urban design, sustainability, economic development, and real estate. I’m still staunchly in favor of public education. I will not hesitate to speak up in support of trees.

Here is a link to my new blog.

In all likelihood, I will continue to comment on Teaneck Progress, however, I will bear no responsibility for the content of threads. I intend to remain on in a passive role an administrator emeritus.

Temporary break from not posting anything

2010-10-12T11:29:00.002-04:00

Today is the deadline for voter registration for the Nov. 2nd election.

The voter registration form is available from NJELECTIONS.ORG
You can check to see if you are registered here

Time to Move On?

2010-10-04T09:07:00.003-04:00

The content of this blog is moving in a direction that makes me uncomfortable. The focus on issues is giving way to complaints and attacks on individuals.

Since I'm the founder of this blog, I feel somewhat responsible for managing the tone of the discussion. Lately, the rhetoric has become so overwhelmingly negative and personal that I no longer want to be associated with this blog.

I'm not sure what to do. My options, as I see them are either to take a hiatus and let the other contributors continue to post threads, or shut the thing down and let the other contributors start their own blogs. I'm inclined to exercise the second option but would be interested in hearing the perspective of others.

The Tyranny of the Minority

2010-10-03T09:55:00.003-04:00

Barbara Toffler has a history of making inflammatory statements. It's not clear whether she does this by commission or omission, but what is clear is that her statements often become a convenient distraction from the real issue at hand.

In 2007, her comments about wanting to preserve diversity in Teaneck, were interpreted as a slight against Orthodox Jews and ended up getting more attention than the larger and more interesting questions raised in this blog and in the Appelbome article about the controversies over the evolution of the governance of the town.

The same can be said of her recent statement about general electorate support for restructuring the public safety functions in town. While her choice of words may have been unfortunate, the point she was driving at was an important one: that a majority of the electorate in the town disapproves of the Council majority's decision to remake the governance of the Police and Fire Departments.

It come down to this: The opinions of the majority of the electorate don't matter as long as they are incapable of organizing themselves to nominate and elect a council majority.

This speaks to the importance of smart and tactical political messaging and organizing, something the current Council majority and their supporters understand far better than the Council minority and, presumably, the majority of the electorate.

I have no reason to believe that these lessons will sink in before the next election.

Lean more about the new Public Safety Director

2010-10-02T22:04:00.001-04:00

Public Safety Director Town Hall Advertisement

And Now for Something Completely Different....

2010-09-30T15:42:00.004-04:00

Paranormal activity in Teaneck.

Here's one man's frightful tale of ghostly activity.

A Response from Barbara Toffler

2010-09-30T10:23:00.004-04:00

The following is a response from Barbara Toffler to Swiggle's thread below,

Sometimes one is made proud by the enemies she makes. The viciousness, the lies, the slanderous statements addressed to me by your friends on the Council since I moved back to Teaneck and joined the Planning Board have been so far beyond any human decency that my friends and family have been amazed at my constraint.

Since the early days when Councilmember Stern offered me "friendly" advice about how I would have to vote if i wanted to be kept on the Planning Board, to the coordinated attack against me because of concerns expressed in an article about zoning regulations, to vomitous statements about me by the charming Susie Rosenbluth -- carried horrendously on to Joseph Steinberg and his family because I supported his Council Candidacy.

And now to the campaign against me by David Lerer (hounder and harasser of Kevie Feit) -- aided and abetted by one or all of three Councilmembers who happened to be on an email invitation to my family's barbeque in August with names of high school classmates, members of my shul and Beth Aaron, and some family members-- all of whom never receive Teaneck emails from me, who now are receiving David Lerer's dirt -- (thanks to adam, Yitz or Elie providing the email addresses) thereby shaming Teaneck and harming and humiliating our community before people in other parts of NJ and NYC..

I uttered a true statement last night: Elie Katz, Yitz Stern and Adam Gussen were elected by majorities in 6 districts (were you thinking they are all Orthodox? they are not). Lizette Parker, Monica Honis and I were elected by majorities in 15 districts. I did not go on to say that Adam Gussen and Mohammed Hameeddudin were the lowest vote getters in the elections they won. Lizette Parker and I were the highest vote getters and Monica Honis second highest vote getter in the elections we won.

If there is a divide, I would suggest it is between well-educated, thoughtful people and heartless, poorly educated bullies and their followers; between good, decent people and quite frankly, bad guys.

And yes -- I am a "divider" ----- between decency and knowledge -- and ignorance, arrogance and disdain for one's fellow human beings. As a purveyor of slander and libel on Teaneck Progress, and the company you keep, you show us all which side you're on.

Barbara

Toffler shows her true colors

2010-09-29T12:18:00.006-04:00

Although fireworks were anticipated at last night's council meeting, the majority of participants engaged in civil, if at times heated, discussion. Both the public and the council made insightful comments regarding the proposal at issue - the creation of a Public Safety Department - and, ultimately, the measure passed by a 4-3 vote. A more detailed description of the evening's events will likely follow in another post.

For now, I am still grappling with the sole hateful and biased comment of the night, made by Councilwoman Barbara Toffler. In a(n) (un)surprising outburst, Toffler interrupted Deputy Mayor Adam Gussen to inform him that the 4 council-members who voted in favor of the measure were "elected by only 6 districts," while she was "elected by 15". The implication, of course (even if it isn't true), is that those council-members were elected by only the districts with a large number of Observant Jews, and that, somehow, those votes mean less than the votes of citizens in other districts.

For someone who prides herself on her parents' role in integration, she is certainly intent on creating divisiveness in our community. Last night's meeting had nothing to do with religious affiliation or skin color, what part of town you live in or whether you voted for a particular council-member - rather, it concerned the organization of the administrative function of our police and fire departments.

We are all familiar with the racial and religious tensions that, at times, plague us. But it is irresponsible, disrespectful and plain prejudiced of Toffler to undermine certain of her colleagues by demeaning the votes cast for them.

In his majority decision which coined the statement "One man, one vote" (Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964)), Chief Justice Earl Warren said "Legislators represent people, not trees or acres. Legislators are elected by voters, not farms or cities or economic interests." -- I would humbly add that they are not elected by districts on a particular side of town either.

All 7 council-members were elected by the community at large. If these were elected representatives representing particular districts, perhaps where the voters lived would matter. But they are at large representatives and as such each vote should be equal no matter where it comes from. Of course, the alternative is that some votes count more than others - the same argument that led to segregation to begin with.

I agree that some members of council received a small number of votes from many districts. Some received many votes from a small number of districts. Some received many votes from many districts. And so on. The reason we have 7 seats on council and democratic elections is so that our citizenship is represented by those governing us.

Toffler apparently disdains those council-members who received votes from a majority of Observant Jews (which speaks volumes to her previously voiced deep seated sentiments about a certain segment of Teaneck). Although it may surprise Ms. Toffler to learn that Adam Gussen received over 100 votes from each of 10 different districts or that Elie Katz received more than 100 votes from each of 14 different districts.

We have made significant strides since the days of segregation when people would be denied representation and voting rights because of the location in which they lived. Don't let Barbara Toffler tear us apart. For anyone to claim that 'one man, one vote' isn't the proper method in a democracy is a strike against diversity and progress - for that attack to come from an elected official is despicable.