[Disclosure: Please be aware that Joe Krakoviak, the founder and primary writer for West Orange Grassroots, was elected to the West Orange Town Council in November 2010 to fill an unexpired term and re-elected to a four-year term in May 2012. If you're looking for information on the campaign, please see www.JoeKrakoviak.com or Facebook.] A group of local residents and taxpayers decided to set up this website in July 2009 as a non-partisan source of information, analysis and informed opinion about issues important to West Orange, N.J. We believe that an informed citizenry engaging in civil discussion and respectful debate will develop and support better ideas and wiser decisions related to township governance and finances. To that end, we insist on civility and will modify, correct or delete comments that we believe amount to personal attacks or that are based on incorrect information. Passion for what you think is best for the township is good and encouraged. But expressing that enthusiasm in a negative manner is not in keeping with the shared goal of improving our community. Also, please recognize that we're often dealing with the challenges of complex subjects and incomplete information. We'll make every effort to be accurate and fair, and we'll fix problems as fast as we can. We appreciate your help, constructive criticism and understanding as we strive for these goals. [This site is still under construction, so please bear with us while we gear up. For now, you can post comments without registering first. Please be responsible and civil.]

Video of the May 7, 2013, Town Council meeting is now online (links below). The meeting included:

- Presentation, Q&A and discussion of the Shop West Orange Property Tax Reward Program, which allows residents to direct discounts from participating merchants to pay property taxes or receive cash rebates (Video Part 1, 14:10 in)

- Discussion of the former employee with access to town hall who may have been living there and misusing a town computer (Part 2, 5:25)

- Discussion of what documents related to the town council agenda should be posted on the town website (Part 2, 7:00)

- Public comment (Part 2, 32:25 in), which included comments about the Downtown West Orange Alliance and the Mayfair Sewer project

- Ridgeway Park and Open Space Trust Fund (Part 3, 4:25 and 8:25 and 45:45)

- Ordinance for emergency appropriation to borrow $1.2 million to pay retirement-related payouts (Part 3, 12:30)

- Resolution to pay $94,000 more to the engineering firm for the Mayfair sewer project (Part 3, 14:50)

- Additional road and curb work in the Belle Terre-Roosevelt neighborhood (Part 3, 40:30)

- Discussion of hiring a lawfirm to contest an FCC decision that would take away an emergency radio frequency for the town (Part 3, 57:10)

The meeting agendas and related documents are here.

May 7, 2013 - Part 1 of 3

May 7, 2013 - Part 2 of 3

May 7, 2013 - Part 3 of 3

Here are links to documents provided to the town council in support of proposed legislation that the municipal clerk refuses to put on the meeting agenda page on the town website. The meeting agenda page on the town website is here.

Supplemental debt statement

Mayfair Lepore letters

Video of the April 23, 2013, Town Council meeting is now online (links below). The meeting included:

-  Presentation by the executive director of the Downtown West Orange Alliance (Video Part 1, 5:05 in)

-  Presentation on crime and policing by senior police officers (Part 1, 13:15)

- General Matters Pending (councilpeople speaking on topics of interest) (Part 1, 47:20)

- Public Comment, including discussion on the Downtown West Orange Alliance and the 2013 municipal budget (Start of Part 2)

- Public hearing on 2013 budget (Part 3, 2:55)

- Packetalk surveillance cameras purchase (Part 4, 7:10)

- Resolution in support of PSE&G's "Energy Strong" program (Part 4, 11:30)

- Resolution to contract for resurfacing of high school artificial-turf soccer field and the pending concession stand project (Part 4, 14:20)

The meeting agendas and related documents are here.

April 23, 2013 - Part 1 of 4 (About 184 megabytes

April 23, 2013 - Part 2 of 4 (About 193 megabytes)

April 23, 2013 - Part 3 of 4 (About 206 megabytes)

April 23, 2013 - Part 4 of 4 (About 98 megabytes)