Author: Keith Kaplan

3/11/20 Press Release Regarding COVID-19

Keith Kaplan / / Health, Safety, Teaneck

Covid-19 3/11/20 Press Release

The Township of Teaneck continues to monitor the spread of the Coronavirus  (COVID-19) throughout our region. As Manager, I have an imperative to do everything possible to slow the spread of this serious virus and protect those who are most vulnerable. This is a difficult and extraordinary situation, and I recognize that people throughout our community, including our workforce, are concerned for their personal health and that of their families and friends.

Teaneck currently has three (3) presumptive positive patients with the COVID-19 virus. Patient one is a 70 year old male who was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey. Patient two, a 30 year old male and patient three, a 44 year old male, were both admitted to Holy Name Medical Center.  Their conditions are unknown.

In an effort to protect those members of our community at the highest risk for complications of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as the health of our workforce, the Township will be cancelling all Senior activities at the Richard Rodda Recreation Department, and all scheduled Court sessions in the Teaneck Municipal Building until further notice. This is the prudent and responsible action to take which protects our workforce and community from the spread of COVID-19 until it is under control. I want to exercise an abundance of caution for our most vulnerable members of the Teaneck community. 

In addition, the Teaneck Public Library will be rescheduling or cancelling all large scale events until the end of March. We will be promoting remote digital services to reduce the volume of patrons that use the facility. Please monitor the Library’s website, https://teanecklibrary.org/, for up to date information on the cancellation of programs.

The Township will be cancelling all non-essential meetings to include advisory boards and commissions.

These are just the first steps I’m taking to insure we minimize the risks and spread of the disease. 

The Township’s Health Department continues to work closely with State Health Officials to determine any further circulation within our community.  

The Township’s maintenance staff continues to sanitize and disinfect common areas throughout our municipal buildings. My office continues to hold regular meetings with department heads and our Office of Emergency Management to provide them with up to date information on the virus. The Township remains in daily contact with the school superintendent, as well as officials from Fairleigh Dickinson University and Holy Name Hospital. We are encouraging residents, whenever possible, to conduct all business with the Township online.

My office will be releasing a COVID-19 Pandemic Plan for Township operations today. The plan was developed to assist the Township in responding to and conducting operations during potential Coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

While there is still much to learn about COVID-19, residents should remain calm and vigilant in their personal efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and monitor the Township’s website at www.teanecknj.gov for updated information.

As a reminder, the New Jersey Department of Health has established a 24-hour telephone hotline for residents who may have concerns or questions: 800-222-1222

COVID-19 3March 11th press release

Link to 3/11/20 Press Release

What you need to know about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

UPDATE #2: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-2019) with Audio of Conference Call

 

UPDATE #2: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-2019) with Audio of Conference Call

Keith Kaplan / / Health, Safety, Teaneck

Community Update on Coronavirus

This evening, (March 5, 2020) the Township of Teaneck will be hosting a Community Update conference call on the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Please join Township Manager Dean Kazinci, members of Council, Health Officer Ken Katter, School Superintendent Dr. Christopher Irving, and representatives from Holy Name Hospital to discuss the latest status of the virus, preventative measures, and important contact information that will help to answer all of your questions and concerns.

To participate by telephone, please call 563-999-1684 at 8:00 PM.

You will automatically be connected to the conference call. A recording of the conference call will be made available on the Township’s website Friday morning. Thank you.

The audio of the conference call is now available here:

Update #2

There are currently zero confirmed cases of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-2019) in Teaneck. As per NJ Department of Health (NJDOH), societal risk is low at this time. There is no need to cancel school events, activities, etc. and there are no restrictions on public gatherings. Please be advised that schools, places of worship, sports leagues, etc. may exclude individuals who have recently returned from level 3 countries or had direct/close contact with an infected person.

As the COVID-2019 situation develops, the Teaneck Health Department is proactively handling the matter by conducting risk assessments, monitoring those under self-quarantine, checking the disease surveillance database, etc. The Teaneck Health Department follows directives in accordance with the CDC and NJDOH. Any new information/updates will be posted on the Teaneck website (under home news/health news). We urge our residents to remain calm, and not spread fear/panic. In light of factors such as commuter population, proximity to NY, and more recently the situation in Fort Lee, we are continuing to work closely with local and State officials as this matter evolves.

Teaneck Health Department would like to remind residents to take necessary precautions to protect themselves from the flu, common cold, and all respiratory viruses.  Our priority is to reduce the spread of infection by protecting the health of children, adolescents, and adults. Therefore, the Teaneck Health Department continues to stress basic infection prevention activities such as:

  • Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (especially after coughing or sneezing)
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve, and not into the hands or into the air (also cover your coughs and sneezes with tissues and dispose of them properly)
  • Avoid contact with ill people and if you are ill, stay home from work or school; limit contact with others to keep from infecting them
  • Clean surfaces that are frequently touched (such as toys, doorknobs, tables, counters, etc.) regularly with a disinfectant solution

Anyone who suspects an exposure is urged to call a health care provider before going to a medical office and/or emergency room. Special arrangements can be made for you to be evaluated while also protecting other patients and medical staff from possible infection. Medical staff will evaluate you to see if you are eligible for testing (based on CDC clinical criteria for COVID-2019 PUIs) and NJDOH will review/approve such request.

**For those who attended events at the Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, NY on February 22 and 23: if you have received notification from the Westchester County Health Department (WCHD) to be placed under self-quarantine, please heed the WCHD instructions on that recommendation. Or if you/your family had direct/close contact with the confirmed infected person and did not receive notification, please reach out to WCHD at: 866-588-0195 (WCHD hotline for people under self-quarantine or exposure to known case).**

For more information about Coronavirus, contact your health care provider or visit the following websites:
NJDOH – General Information Page – https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml
FAQs – Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-2019) FAQs.pdf
CDC – General Information Page – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

CDC – COVID-2019 Fact Sheets: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/factsheets.html

Travel (due to the rapidly changing situation, see travel recommendations which are subject to frequent updates): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
For general questions, residents are encouraged to call the COVID-2019 hotline: 1-800-222-1222

To contact the Teaneck Health Department: 201-837-1600 ext. 1500 or health@teanecknj.gov

 

Community Safety Call Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Keith Kaplan / / Health, Teaneck

Teaneck Councilmembers Elie Y. Katz, Henry Pruitt, Mark J Schwartz, Gervonn Romney Rice, Keith Kaplan, Jim Dunleavy, Mohammed Hameeduddin participated in a call tonight to get a an update on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to address the concerns of Teaneck residents. On the call were Teaneck Township Manager Dean Kazinci, Teaneck Health Officer Ken Katter & Teaneck Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Chris Irving.
Over 375 residents participated in this proactive call to address residents concerns. Teaneck’s Health Officer reassured the residents that NJ has “0” confirmed cases at this time. Teaneck will continue to monitor and inform their residents.
Call recording below–please share

OTD in 1895: Secession

Keith Kaplan / / Teaneck

125 years ago today, on February 13, 1895, “Teaneck, dissatisfied with an administration which permitted “taxation without benefit” took advantage of an Act of Legislature to “secede.””

The first officers were:

  • Township Clerk, Frank S. De Ronde, 1895-98, John Ackerman, 1898-1901
  • Township Committee, William Bennett, 1895-98, Peter I. Ackerman, 1895-97, Henry J. Brinkerhoff, 1895-96
  • Freeholder, John J. Phelps, 1895-1901;
  • Assessor, Daniel G. Bogert, 1895-98, Jonathan Hawkins, 1898-1901
  • Collector, Tunis Cole, 1895-98 (died in 1895), Warren M. Cluss appointed in ’96, elected ’96-98
  • Justice of the Peace, Robert Stevenson, 1895-1900.

Reasons for Separation

At the time of Paul Volcker’s retirement in 1950, the Sunday Sun describes the origins of the Township.  You can read the article here:  Teaneck’s 1st Shaky Steps Formed Basis of Success

Like many another municipality in the state, Teaneck became a separate corporate body because of dissatisfaction over the manner in which taxes was spent. Most of the Township was then part of Englewood and “Englewood,” says an old account, “had a drainage problem.”  The people of the Teaneck section, mostly farmers and such wealthy landowners as the Phelps, sympathized with the Englewood city Fathers, but they couldn’t see their tax dollars going where they were receiving no benefit, so they decided to separate.  The act of secession was finally passed by the Legislature on February 13, 1895 (emphasis added).

Why study history? So we aren’t doomed to repeat it.

Keith Kaplan / / Elections, Teaneck

This week, Teaneck Today published information about the Democratic Municipal Committee creating an “ad hoc committee”. In an email from the Chair of the TDMC, she said the purpose of the committee was to “explore[] the limitations and rights of the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee to participate in n on-partisan municipal elections”

You can read more about the issue and participate in the discussion at the link: here

Seeking to change longstanding rules isn’t something that should be taken likely.  Political powers wax and wane.  And while this may seem like a move that would help some today, it may not be so desirable, tomorrow.

It’s worth remembering that this isn’t a new idea, either.

From the minutes of Council on June 11, 2008:

C. Kates agreed with C. Feit.  C. Kates does not think it is coincidental of the challengers to be representatives of a certain group.  Hopes Teaneck remembers that it is a nonpartisan professionally managed community.  C. Kates spoke about the County politics influencing Teaneck, the shared vision of African Americans and Jewish people in the fight for civil rights and that she feels the community does not trust the Council. Recommends the Advisory Board on Community Relations needs to be more involved and Council needs to use them.

Do we want to go down this road, Teaneck?