West Orange Council Cancels Meeting On $1.5M Payment, Town Audit

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A special meeting of the West Orange Township Council that was scheduled for Thursday has been canceled.

The meeting was slated to take place at noon. Two items were listed on the agenda.

One item up for discussion was a proposed ordinance – up for its first reading – which would provide for a $1.5 million maximum “emergency appropriation” that would “fund contractually required severance liabilities resulting from the retirement of employees in the township.”

The agenda didn’t elaborate on the proposed ordinance. However, West Orange was one of several New Jersey municipalities named in a 2022 report from the Office of the State Comptroller involving sick and vacation leave policies.

• See Related: West Orange Among Towns Cited In Scathing NJ 'Sick Leave' Report

The other item on Thursday’s agenda was a resolution “authorizing the certification of the 2022 annual audit by the governing body.” The results of that audit were released last month; view them online here.

The audit lists West Orange as having an “unmodified opinion” and no audit findings. According to a statement from the town’s public information officer, an unmodified opinion – or a “clean opinion” – means that the financial statements, as corrected, are fairly presented in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles.

“This audit is the fourth straight year there have not been any audit finding and the first time in 20 years for that many consecutive years,” Mayor Susan McCartney said.

• See Related: Audit Of West Orange Town Finances Is 'Clean,' Officials Say

The analysis doesn’t cover the latest budget season in West Orange, which has seen heated controversy and many hours of debate in the council chambers.

So far in 2023, the town has seen increases to property taxes on the school, municipal and county levels, a hike to sewer fees and the rollout of several other new municipal charges, and an ongoing property tax revaluation.

• See Related: Tax Hike Imminent As West Orange School Budget Hits Finish Line
• See Related: West Orange Council Adopts Town Budget, Tax Hike Approved
• See Related: West Orange Revaluation Begins: Will My Property Taxes Go Up?
• See Related: West Orange Mayor Says 'Perfect Storm' Swirls This Budget Season
• See Related: Sewer Fees Increase In West Orange; Council Gives Green Light
• See Related: West Orange Rolls Out New Fee For Local Businesses

Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected]. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch West Orange Facebook page.