Dominic Mele

Councilman at Large

Councilman Dominic Mele and his wife of 56 years, Jean, are both lifelong residents of Hawthorne. They have two children: Dominic, who has three children; and Tiffany, who with her husband, Tony, has two children. A close-knit group, it goes without saying that “family values” is not just a political tagline to the Meles; it’s something they’ve practiced for more than half-a-century now.

Councilman Mele began his public service career when he was appointed to the Hawthorne Board of Health by legendary Mayor Louie Bay. He then served on Hawthorne’s Zoning Board of Adjustment for a number of years before being appointed to fill the unexpired term of Councilman at Large Richard Goldberg when Goldberg became mayor following the resignation of then Mayor Pat Botbyl in 2008. Councilman Mele won election to his first full term in 2009, and was reelected in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

Councilman Mele, who has owned and operated Tiffany’s Florist on Lafayette Avenue since 1975, worked with the late Gene Meyers, Bill Missonellie, and Steven Tarta to reintroduce the Chamber of Commerce in Hawthorne in the mid-1970s, and has been a proud member ever since. In addition to serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors for many years, he was instrumental in helping them start the popular Santa Parade, an annual holiday tradition that continues to this day. Tiffany’s Florist has been a proud supporter of Hawthorne’s youth athletic programs, sponsoring both a girls basketball team and a boys JD baseball team. (Fun trivia item: Councilman Mele’s Team Lane running mate, Councilman Bruce Bennett, was a coach for the Tiffany’s girls basketball team long before the two men became friends and political allies.)\

Councilman Mele is also a member of the Hawthorne Lions Club, where he was Lion of the Year in 2003-2004, and a proud member of the Fidelians of America in North Haledon. A parishioner and usher at St. Anthony’s RC Church in Hawthorne, he is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

As a councilman, Mele’s responsibilities include chairing the finance and public safety committees, and serving on the public works committee, three committees that have the most impact on financial and quality of life issues in Hawthorne. He was also instrumental in getting the band shell constructed and has been a shadow committee member since the program’s inception. As a member of the public works committee, he was also instrumental in the design, acquisition, and installation of Hawthorne’s PFAS water treatment system, which supplies safe drinking water to our residents.