Yvonne's Reasons for Running

I have three best reasons for running for Borough Council – my daughters Amanda, Margaret and Zoe. Growing up here, my husband Gary and I were part of a strong and vibrant community, which was a big reason why Gary and I decided to raise our girls here.

Because we are parents, and because of our life-long relationship with Glen Ridge, Gary and I have always been active in community organizations, including the CCC. Being active in the community, I have come to hold certain beliefs about how our Borough Council works when it is working best.

When Borough Council is working best, the Mayor and Council members are terrific listeners. They recognize that a healthy community is one where residents take part in public discourse, and they encourage it. The Mayor and Council, as well as Borough employees, get back to people in a reasonable timeframe - by phone or in person. They say “We discussed your idea very carefully, but what do you think of this......." They say "Thank you for your thoughts.” They say these things a lot.

When Borough Council is working best, no idea is a bad idea. There are no sacred cows; every aspect of our government is continually under review. That doesn't mean change for change sake. It may mean validating that what we currently do still works. And if it doesn’t work, we try something else. Maybe there is no better way, but let's be open to the possibility that there is. As Albert Einstein said, "We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them."

As I see it, Borough Council is not working at its best because it is not encouraging public discourse and it does not regularly engage in due diligence reviews of “business as usual.” If elected, I want to make some changes:

a. Put EVERYTHING that is not confidential on the web site. Council should not edit or be selective about it. A few things our web site could use:
i. ALL pages of the budget
ii. All ordinances, and
iii. The benchmark studies which our tax dollars are paying for every year.

Regarding the benchmark studies, there is supposed to be a new one every year on a different aspect of government. During my campaign last year, I asked the Council to post the study to the municipal website. They never did. The town is grown-up enough to understand that studies are imperfect. Although the Benchmark Study is still in it infancy and there is debate on whether or not the study can be posted because it may have limited usefulness at this juncture, there should be a section on the website explaining why the town is doing is participating in such a study and updates with the study’s development along the way. Certainly, post an open invitation to interested residents in town to come to view the report on site.

b. Stop relying on the web as the primary means of outreach and communication with the town. It’s terrific that the Mayor and Council members show up when there’s a problem, but that’s no replacement for consistent outreach. Perhaps we could try neighborhood meetings, or just knocking on doors once in a while. Council members should make regular appearances at Golden Circle meetings, the Rotary, the Kiwanis, the Women's Club, Home & School Associations and other town organizations. And just generally be more available.
c. Start bringing transparency and accountability to Borough Council’s due diligence efforts. Voters should know if the Borough has a Business Continuation Plan, a Pandemic Plan, off-site storage facilities. Voters should have confidence that Borough employees are being responsibly supervised, that the Borough is in compliance with laws and codes.

I am running for Borough Council because I believe Glen Ridge can be a role model for what small towns can and should be. Because when the fourth generation of Provosts makes their home here (someday), I want them to inherit the best home town anyone could have.

--Yvonne