Bill’s Promise to Oakland
Why Local Government Matters in Oakland
Local decisions shape our daily lives, our town’s culture and determine our taxes - 24% of your property taxes comes from the Borough Council. I believe Oakland’s council is fragmented from the community. Too often the voices and participation of residents are dismissed. The culture of cronyism needs to end. Oakland deserves better: a council that values transparency, invites open dialogue, and makes every resident feel heard and respected. My goal is to begin a move toward a more welcoming, respectful council.
With this in mind I pledge to you that I will:
Propose New Mission Statement & Renewed Commitment to Ethics:
Propose a new council Mission Statement to represent a new promise to Oakland residents:
The Borough of Oakland is committed to preserving Oakland’s small-town character and ensure responsible fiscal stewardship of public resources. We will foster a welcoming, transparent, and collaborative relationship with the community, and a prosperous partnership with local businesses. We strive to make decisions that reflect the collective good.
Request council training on the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Act, open to the public.
Propose Communication Improvements to Increase Transparency:
Reinstate Public Comment: At my first meeting I will motion to reinstate the second public comment into the council agenda, which was removed from the agenda by the current council members. Residents should not be denied the basic right to express their opinion to the council.
Fairness in Committee Assignments: Advocate for fairness in committee volunteer assignments. Volunteers should be embraced and respected - not required to have allegiance to certain council members.
Quarterly Coffee Chats with Residents: Invite all residents to quarterly coffee chats as an informal way to listen to concerns, exchange ideas, and share updates.
Increase Communication to Residents:
Propose weekly elbasts instead of monthly.
Introduce Text Communications to fit today’s communication habits.
Frequent community surveys.
Address Over-Development Concerns - Oakland Should Not be a 287 Pit Stop:
Development-Specific Communications: Propose explicit, frequent, development-specific communications to residents regarding current and pending developments.
Engage Surrounding Townships in Discussion: Initiate joint meetings with surrounding town officials (Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Mahwah) to exchange ideas and strategies on tackling over-development, so we can learn from one another and work collaboratively on this shared concern.
Analyze Impact on Local Public Services: Seek a review of the potential impact on local public services of the developments currently underway.
Explore Signing onto Challenge of Mt. Laurel with Other Bergen County Towns: Explore signing onto the legal challenge of the Mt Laurel decision that puts undue burden on small towns like ours. Our neighbors have signed on, Oakland should be part of that conversation.
Update Oakland’s Strategic Plan with Meaningful Input from Residents:
Review and Update Oakland’s Master Plan: Advocate for an updated Master Plan that protects our small-town character and ensures that residents have a real voice in shaping Oakland’s future.