Please come to a special Zoom meeting next Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. to learn about West Milford First, a local initiative with the big ambition to restore our local government to a nonpartisan, ward-based Council-Manager system. To get the Zoom link, register here.
We want county and national parties out of our local elections to give voters back their voice and their power. Residents would run for office without party compromise, on local issues, and vote for candidates from three geographic wards plus several at-large seats.
We had this before 2003, when county parties interfered and changed our system. Ever since, candidates have to align with a national party platform, there are very few campaign debates or great choices, and no accountability to local issues and solutions.
This idea has been around awhile, but took off when the council changed the mayor’s position to full-time with a salary jump from $15,000 to $130,000 plus benefits, and gave themselves the power to readily change it again. They ignored the packed council meetings and great opposition from residents. For comparison, the mayor of Wayne makes $19,000 per year.
A one-party town council has no accountability without checks and balances. Many of us feel frustrated and powerless with the ever-worsening, us-versus-them divide in our backyard.
How can you help? Get involved. Sign the petition! It includes the question and interpretative statement to be put on the ballot. Read the petition and volunteer to help get signatures at WestMilfordFirst.org. Request to sign the petition using this form.
The petition must be signed in person, and you must be registered to vote at your current address (check the Passaic County Clerk’s web site or (973) 881-4515, option 5).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Melissa Brown Blaeuer
West Milford