West Orange Council To Tackle Leaf Blowers, Budget, Town Attorney Deal

WEST ORANGE, NJ — UPDATE: Due to a severe weather forecast, the town council meeting on Jan. 9 will be virtual only. The zoom link for the meeting remains the same and has not changed. Our original article follows below.

Several high-profile items are on the agenda for the West Orange Township Council meeting on Tuesday, including a potential leaf blower ban, a temporary municipal budget and a resolution regarding the township attorney’s office.

The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 9 at the council chambers in Town Hall, 66 Main Street. See the agenda here.

The Jan. 9 meeting will be councilman Bill Rutherford’s first as council president. He is taking the torch from current president, Tammy Williams. Read More: West Orange Town Council Will Have New President In 2024

Items on the agenda include:

TEMPORARY BUDGET – A resolution regarding several temporary budget appropriations for 2024 is on the list. The municipal budget was a major source of controversy in 2023, with a proposed tax hike reaching upwards of 16 percent before eventually landing at 5.8 percent. Read More: West Orange Council Adopts Town Budget, Tax Hike Approved

TOWN ATTORNEY – A resolution involving the township attorney’s office would authorize an agreement to retain Richard Trenk and his firm, Trenk Isabel Siddiqi & Shahdanian P.C. It would expire Dec. 31, 2024. The annual salary for the town attorney position would pay $42,500, but would not include litigation, arbitration and mediation, which would be billed at a separate rate of $150 per hour. View the resolution online here, and see the agreement here. Read More: West Orange Mayor Sues Town Council; Trenk Saga Continues

LEAF BLOWER BAN – A proposed ordinance would create a seasonal ban on gas-powered leaf blowers that would eventually evolve into a full ban by 2026. It’s up for a second reading and public hearing at Tuesday’s meeting. See the proposed ordinance online here. Read More: Montclair Leaf Blower Ban May Have Ripple Effect In West Orange

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