While the offices of Mayor, Council, and Board of Education are separate and each with their own jurisdictions and sets of authorities, there is a glaring need to collaborate better.
I have proposed a retreat – open to the public at the high school cafeteria – to occur twice per year. The Mayor, Superintendent of Schools, Councilmembers, and BOE members should discuss the projects and ordinances expected to take place over the next 6 months, their impacts on one another, and how we can mitigate negative impacts and identify areas for beneficial cooperation.
Development, roads, sidewalks, etc. all have impacts on schools, and decisions the BOE makes – like reducing middle school sports – are areas where the council can supplement and reduce negative impacts.
We should explore one joint grant writer. I notified the Mayor, Council, and Superintendent of a grant from Dick’s Sporting Goods to improve recreational activities – i.e. a playground – that would need to be done via a municipality and nonprofit (Downtown Alliance). We could explore these opportunities.
For any new PILOT approved that has students living in it, the owner of the development should be paying the district the cost of each student, tied to inflation, each year.
No more PILOTs without considering the impacts on our schools.
The purpose of this bi-annual retreat is to discuss the opportunities for both collaboration and potential areas of friction to identify the best possible solutions for residents, students, employees, & tax payers. I don’t believe we’ve ever had a time when The Mayor, All Council Members, The Superintendent, and All BOE Members have been in the same room together, so this would be a first & a welcomed open strategic engagement of ideas. This retreat, in accordance with law, would be open to the public.
Impacts on bus routes, traffic concerns, kiss and go lanes, class sizes
Are we viewing development in conjunction with school capacity?
Is there an opportunity for workforce housing for our teachers, police, and fire employees?
Does one town-wide snow contract make more sense than 2 independent contracts?
Is there a shared protocol that makes sense as we discuss the changing AI landscape for cybersecurity and safety?
Will any roadwork projects this year impact school traffic/routes?
Safe Streets to School Grant goes through 2032 – where and when will construction take place? How are we ensuring our students have safe routes while construction happens?
Multiyear Budget Projections to give residents a reasonable anticipated look at their tax estimates several years out and to identify similar/different patterns emerging
Community Input and Community Budget Review Boards
Opportunity for free, state-wide audit to measure our utility expenses and find ways to save $ for both entities
What grants have each governing body applied for, and can the other tap into, supplement, or support that application?
I shared with our Superintendent, Mayor, and Council an opportunity for a grant via Dick’s Sporting Goods – where does this make the best sense, which parks or fields need work?
Does it make sense to have one grant writer funded by the town paid for by both bodies?
With the cuts to middle school sports, how will that impact PAL and Mountain Top that are funded by the town?
Can the Arts Council assist with any cuts to arts/theatre?
What changes are coming that we can anticipate and plan for? Budget impacts?
We are here to make West Orange the best it can be – for the services we provide, for the students, residents, parents, staff, & tax payers.
What is one body doing well that the other can learn from?
