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We all like to see our town in the news, when it is good news. Unfortunately, West Orange was recently featured in the Star-Ledger for a potential “eye-popping” retirement payout of nearly $800,000 to our former chief of police. This situation does not reflect well on Mayor McCartney or our town.
Payments for unclear employment line items that are not authorized in our municipal code, employee handbook, or existing employment agreements have now caught the attention of the State Comptroller’s Office. For more than six months, I asked the Township administration to provide backup documentation for this large payout. The matter is now in the hands of the State Comptroller, and it is unfortunate that outside scrutiny was needed to bring attention to the issue.
Additional Retirement Payouts Discovered
After the “golden parachute” payout made headlines, I asked the Administration whether any other retirement payouts were pending. To my surprise, I learned that payments had already been made to five Township employees using the same undefined terms “Limited Time Due” and “Snow Day.” The Administration is now asking the Council to approve these payments after the fact.
These payouts amount to hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. At the March 3 Council meeting, I requested that approval of these payments be delayed until the Administration provides documentation explaining how the figures were calculated.
Inexplicably, Councilwoman Williams objected to my request for backup documentation, asking: “Why should the Council feel it has the ability to challenge the record of the Administration?”
Councilwoman Casalino joined in opposing my request, stating: “You’re not entitled to this [information].”
Councilmembers are absolutely entitled to this information and SO ARE YOU. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we have a responsibility to fully understand the payments we are being asked to approve. I take seriously my duty to safeguard your money, and every member of this council should do the same. I will keep you informed on this.
80 Main Street: Transparency is Optional
Since taking office, I have consistently called for greater transparency in Township government.
At the February 10 meeting, I noticed that important documents referenced in a proposed Township resolution granting special zoning exemptions for a redevelopment plan at 80 Main Street were missing from the resolution, despite being required by law.
Councilwoman Williams quickly made a motion to remove the reference to the missing documents. A Council majority then approved the resolution by a 3–2 vote. I was one of the two dissenting voices. Without the documents, neither the Council nor the public had access to the full details of the deal.
Vendor Deals Without Contracts
Transparency concerns continued at that same meeting. The Administration asked the Council to approve 20 contracts with vendors providing legal and consulting services to the Township. However, the Council, and the public via the Township website, were not given the actual contracts describing the work to be performed or the amounts the vendors would be paid.
How can the Council approve spending public money without knowing these details?
Because I raised this concern and objected to approving the contracts without full information, the vendor resolutions were withdrawn until the contracts could be provided. At the upcoming March 10 meeting this Tuesday, these vendors will return to the Council agenda with the contracts attached.
Political Contribution Disclosures Still Missing
While the contracts will now be attached to vendor resolutions, another transparency measure I requested was not included: disclosure of political contributions made by vendors to elected officials, including the Mayor and Council.
This matters because the current vendor list reads like a who’s who of past contributors to Councilwoman Williams. While such contributions may be legal, they raise legitimate questions about what is appropriate and what the public should know.
New Jersey “pay-to-play” laws require vendors seeking public contracts to file a Political Contribution Disclosure Form. This form helps ensure transparency and discourage attempts to buy influence. I asked that these forms be attached to the contracts so both the Council and the public could review them before voting.
Our neighboring town of Verona does this. Unfortunately, this administration has chosen to keep the public in the dark.
Political Contribution Disclosures Still Missing
While the contracts will now be attached to vendor resolutions, another transparency measure I requested was not included: disclosure of political contributions made by vendors to elected officials, including the Mayor and Council.
This matters because the current vendor list reads like a who’s who of past contributors to Councilwoman Williams. While such contributions may be legal, they raise legitimate questions about what is appropriate and what the public should know.
New Jersey “pay-to-play” laws require vendors seeking public contracts to file a Political Contribution Disclosure Form. This form helps ensure transparency and discourage attempts to buy influence. I asked that these forms be attached to the contracts so both the Council and the public could review them before voting.
Our neighboring town of Verona does this. Unfortunately, this administration has chosen to keep the public in the dark.
Budget and Debt Concerns
We are still waiting for the Mayor to present the 2026 budget to the Council.
Last year, I led an effort that resulted in important spending cuts without reducing programming or staff. Even so, West Orange continues to carry approximately $170 million in debt, with nearly 13% of our annual budget going toward debt payments. That is money that should be spent on services and programs for residents.
Adding to Our Debt
At our March 3 meeting, Councilman Krakoviak criticized past councils for approving budgets that increased Township debt by $57 million between 2021 and 2024. It was headsnapping to see every Councilmember besides me then vote to plunge ourselves into further debt by borrowing more than a quarter of a million dollars!.
I voted against this additional debt for a very specific reason. The Township had received a $1 million federal grant intended to restore OSPAC’s stage and sound equipment. Instead of using those funds for that purpose, the Administration redirected the money to road improvements at OSPAC, leaving the theater upgrades unfunded.
I suggested adjusting the grant to cover the original stage and sound work, but the Council majority chose instead to borrow additional taxpayer money. Once again: spend, spend, spend.
Commitment to Accountability
I ran for office to push for real change and that requires real information. I will continue working to do my best so that both the Council and the public receive the transparency we deserve.
Thank you for staying engaged. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with your concerns or feedback. Please watch Council meetings on YouTube or attend meetings at Town Hall in person, if you can, to see firsthand how decisions affecting your hard-earned tax dollars are being made.
Best regards,
Joyce
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