Tenafly

[ten-uh-flahy]

Tenafly, affluent residential borough (1990 pop. 13,326), Bergen co., NE N.J.; settled 1640, inc. 1894. It is a suburb lying along the Palisades and the east bank of the Hudson River.

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Tenafly, New Jersey

Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the borough population was 13,806.

The first to settle in Tenafly were the Dutch in the late 1600s. The name "Tenafly" is derived from the Dutch words "Tiene Vly" or "Ten Swamps" which was given by Dutch settlers in 1688.

Tenafly was incorporated as a borough on January 24, 1894, under an Act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of the now-defunct Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day, at the height of the Boroughitis phenomenon sweeping through Bergen County at the time.

Geography

Tenafly is located at (40.922139, -73.963772).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it (11.15%) is water.

The eastern half of the town is known as the "East Hill" for its higher elevation in relation to the rest of the borough. The terrain rises rapidly to the east of the downtown area, ending at the spectacular New Jersey Palisades, overlooking the Hudson River. From atop the cliffs, Tenafly residents have a wide-ranging view of New York City. The Tenafly Nature Center is located at 313 Hudson Avenue.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,806 people, 4,774 households, and 3,866 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,993.4 people per square mile (1,156.3/km²). There were 4,897 housing units at an average density of 1,061.8/sq mi (410.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 76.79% White, 0.96% African American, 0.09% Native American, 19.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.40% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.65% of the population. 9.0% were of Irish, 8.8% American, 8.5% Italian, 8.2% Russian and 5.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 67.1% spoke English, 9.1% Korean, 5.1% Spanish, 3.7% Chinese or Mandarin, 3.1% Hebrew, 1.9% Japanese, 1.5% German, 1.3% Russian, 1.3% Greek, 1.2% Italian, 1.1% Tagalog, 1.0% Armenian and 1.0% French as their first language.

There were 4,774 households out of which 43.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.0% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $90,931, and the median income for a family was $111,029. Males had a median income of $79,641 versus $50,617 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $53,170. About 3.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Tenafly is governed under a special charter granted by the New Jersey Legislature. This charter retains most aspects of the Borough form of government, with the addition of initiative, referendum, and recall features. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

The Mayor of Tenafly is Peter Rustin, whose term of office ends December 31, 2011. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term and is eligible for re-election. The Mayor presides over all meetings of the Council but may vote only in case of a tie. The Mayor has veto power, which may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the Council.

The Borough Council consists of six members, who are elected at large for three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats up for election each year. As the legislative body, the Council adopts ordinances and resolutions, decides on appropriations, approves appointments made by the Mayor, determines policy, and establishes the functions of the various departments of the local government. Each Council member is chairperson of one of the six standing committees.

Members of the Tenafly Borough Council are Carol Hoernlein (Fire Committee; D, 2009), Nadia LaMastra (Administration & Personnel Committee; D, 2009), Michael Lattif (Finance Committee; D, 2008), Joseph McDermott (Buildings & Grounds Committee; D, 2010), Patrick J. Rouse (Police Commission; D, 2010) and Jon Warms (Public Works Committee; D, 2008).

In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters elected a Mayor and filled two seats on the Borough Council. Independent incumbent Peter S. Rustin (2,146) won re-election to a second term as mayor, outrunning Democratic Councilman Michael Lattif (665) and Republican William S. Saunders (382). The two Democrats running for office ran unopposed, with incumbent Patrick J. Rouse and newcomer Joseph McDermott winning three-year seats. The 2008 council taking office in January will consist entirely of Democrats.

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters filled two three-year terms on the Borough Council held by Republicans Charles M. Lipson and Joseph Salvatore, and the unexpired two-year term that had been filled by Jon Warms to replace Jeffrey Romano. As of Election Day, the council was split 3-3 between Democrats and Republicans, in a community in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 5-4 margin. The Democrats swept all three seats, with challengers Carol Hoernlein (2,768 votes) and Nadia LaMastra (2,718) elected, defeating incumbents Salvatore (1,769) and Lipson (1,746). Jon Warms (with 2,830 votes) was elected to serve the balance of the two-year term, defeating Republican challenger (and longtime former Councilman and one-time Republican Mayoral primary candidate) William S. Saunders (1,629). As of January 1, 2007, when Hoernlein and LaMastra took office, the Democrats have a 5-1 edge.

In November 2005, Councilman Jeffery Romano was arrested in Newark following a drug bust that uncovered forty bags of heroin in his car. Romano resigned from the council in June 2006 after pleading guilty to heroin possession and was replaced, then temporarily, by Jon Warms, who has since been elected to his own full term (November 2006).

Federal, state and county representation

Tenafly is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District.

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 14,214 in Tenafly, there were 8,633 registered voters (60.7% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,769 (20.5% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,407 (16.3% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 5,454 (63.2% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were three voters registered to other parties.

On the national level, Tenafly leans towards the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 61% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 38%.

Education

The Tenafly Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are four K-5 elementary schools (Mackay School, Maugham School, Smith School and Stillman School), Tenafly Middle School for grades 6-8 and Tenafly High School for grades 9-12. Students from Alpine attend Tenafly High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Tenafly High School was awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award, awarded by the United States Department of Education at a special assembly to the Tenafly High School Community on September 20, 2005. Tenafly was the only high school in New Jersey and one of 38 public high schools in the U.S. to receive the 2005 Blue Ribbon School Award.

Tenafly High School was the 2nd ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools.

Transportation

Bus service to and from New York City is available via New Jersey Transit bus routes 166 and 20, and Coach USA (Red and Tan) routes 9, 14 and 84.

County Route 501, U.S. Route 9W, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway all pass through Tenafly.

Points of interest

Elizabeth Cady Stanton House, home of the women's rights activist from 1868 to 1887.

Noted residents

Noted residents of Tenafly and those of note who were born in the borough include:

Hiroaki Aoki (1938-2008), founder of Benihana Japanese restaurant chain.
Mark Attanasio, investment banker and owner of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Peter Balakian (born 1951), poet and author.
Jesse Barfield (born 1959), Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees Outfielder, lived in Tenafly during part of his career as a Yankee.
Gregg Berhalter (born 1973), member of the United States men's national soccer team.
Yogi Berra (born 1925), New York Yankees
Orestes Cleveland (1829-1896), Mayor of Jersey City 1864-1867; 1886-1892, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 5th congressional district from 1869-1871.
Alon Cohen (born 1962) and Lior Haramaty (born 1966), inventors of VoIP technology.
Hope Davis (born 1964), actress.
Jimmy Dean (born 1928), singer turned breakfast meat entrepreneur.
Tate Donovan (born 1963), actor.
Eric J (born 1975), Music Producer/Engineer.
Reuven Frank (1920-2006), former NBC News president and pioneer of Vietnam War-era news coverage.
Alexander Gemignani (born 1979), Broadway performer.
Alexie Gilmore, stars in the television series New Amsterdam as Dr. Sara Dillane.
Lesley Gore (born 1946), singer.
Rusty Hamer (1947-1990), actor.
Ed Harris (born 1950), actor.
Jon-Erik Hexum (1957-1984), actor.
John Huyler (1808-1870), represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1857-1859.
Ron Insana (born 1961), CNBC anchor and senior analyst.
Richard Levao, President of Bloomfield College.
Sarah Lewitinn (born 1980) alias Ultragrrl, author, Spin assistant editor, blogger, downtown socialite.
Eric Maskin (born 1950), co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Economics.
Don Mattingly (born 1961), New York Yankees.
Tino Martinez (born 1967), New York Yankees.
Jen Maxfield, reporter for WABC-TV.
Gil McDougald (born 1928), American League Rookie of the Year winner in 1951, who played his entire career with the New York Yankees, appearing in 53 World Series games.
Lea Michele (born 1986), Broadway actress, best known for Spring Awakening.
Glenn Miller (1904-1944), bandleader.
Frank C. Osmers, Jr. (1907-1977), represented New Jersey's 9th congressional district from 1939-1943 and 1951-1965.
Erica Piccininni, Broadway actress, Jersey Boys.
Steve Rothman, (born 1952), Congressman.
E. S. Savas, expert on privatization and professor in the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College.
Han Seung Yeon, member of Korean girl group, KARA.
Mira Sorvino (born 1967), actor.
Paul Sorvino (born 1939), actor.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902), leading figure in the early women's rights movement.
Lori Stokes (born 1962), anchorwoman for WABC-TV.
Thomas D. Thacher (1881-1950), one-time Solicitor General of the United States.

Popular culture

Tenafly has influenced and been featured in many different movies and television shows, including:

Tenafly was a 1973 TV series starring James McEachin in the title role, which was named after the New Jersey municipality.
Street Trash (1987) - the movie features bottles of "Tenafly Viper", a 60 year old wine that has "gone bad" and causes those who drink it to melt in spectacularly colorful fashions.
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Running on Empty (1988)
Lost at Home (1996)
Gunplay (2002)
Garden State (2004)
13 Going on 30 (2004) - the town in the movie, Tamerak, is based on and made to resemble Tenafly.
Distance (2006)
Baby M (1988); TV
Ned and Stacey (1995) -- Stacey and her sister, Amanda, grew up in Tenafly, where their parents still lived.
The Sopranos
NJ Classroom CloseUp, episode focusing on the Tenafly Middle School Music Program.
MTV: TRL (Total Request Live), episode regarding high schools around the country; focused on Tenafly's Technological Department.
HBO's Entourage (2006). The town was referred to by character Ari Gold.
"Law and Order: SVU (2006); TV