[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 June 11, 2013, Town Council meeting is now online (links below). The meeting included:

- Presentation by Gabel Associates to obtain a contract to run a municipal aggregation power program for the town, which could lower electricity costs for residents who sign up (Video Part 1, 6:05 in)

- Presentation by the executive director of the Downtown West Orange Alliance (Video Part 2, start of video)

- General Matters Pending, which opens the floor to comments and announcements by council members (Video Part 2, 9:35 in)

- Public Comment (Video Part 2, 22:20 in)

- Council questions of various resolutions (Video Part 3, 0:35 in)

- Discussion of the computer-networking contract and project (Video Part 3, 9:30 in and 33:30 in)

- Discussion of bond ordinance financing athletic-facility projects at the high school (Video Part 3, 21:45 in)

- Discussion of contracts to light the high school football field (Video Part 3, 30:05 in)

- Discussion of contracts to build the new park on Ridgeway Avenue (Video Part 3, 31:50 in)

The meeting agendas and related documents are here.

June 11, 2013 - Part 1 of 3
June 11, 2013 - Part 2 of 3
June 11, 2013 - Part 3 of 3

Video of the May 21, 2013, Town Council meeting is now online (links below). The meeting included:

- General Matters Pending, which opens the floor to comments and announcements by council members (Video Part 1, 11:25 in)

- Mayor's remarks (Video Part 1, 19:00)

- Public comment (Video Part 1, 22:20)

- Mayor's follow-up from previous council meeting on former employee rumored to be living at town hall and inappropriately using town computer (Video Part 1, 50:10)

- Discussion of pet licensing (Video Part 2, 0:45)

- Discussion of park on Ridgeway Avenue and issuing $475,000 of bonds (Video Part 2, 5:50)

- Discussion of $1.2 million of bonds to finance retirement-related payouts to employees (Video Part 3, beginning) and related resolution (Video Part 3, 29:00)

- Brief discussion of ordinance increasing bonding to fund tax appeals from $1 million to $2.5 million, on first reading (Video Part 3, 9:45)

- Discussion of hiring appraisal firm in defense of residential property tax appeals and of nearly $2 million in successful appeals (Video Part 3, 10:25)

The meeting agendas and related documents are here.

May 21, 2013 - Part 1 of 3
May 21, 2013 - Part 2 of 3
May 21, 2013 - Part 3 of 3

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