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Return to nonpartisan, ward system. Support West Milford First. Contribute by check or online.
community meeting Feb. 26th
community meeting Feb. 26th
Almost one year ago, the West Milford town council approved legislation to “hire” Mayor Dale as a Deputy Administrator at a salary of $130,000 plus benefits (pension, medical, dental, etc.) In January 2025, the town council did away with the ruse and we, the taxpayers, now have a mayor being paid up to $130,000 plus benefits. This is in a town of 24,000 residents.
A group of concerned residents and former elected officials have been meeting over the past year and have come up with some ideas to improve municipal government and better serve the citizens of this township. This group now operates as a political committee called West Milford First and has the mission of creating a ballot question to return our township's form of government to a nonpartisan, ward system.
On February 26th, the group presented their recommendations at a public meeting in order to gauge the residents' level of support for this initiative. The room was packed, with some attendees needing to stand. When asked whether the audience supported this move, almost everyone raised their hands.
We want to move ahead with creating the ballot question so we need your help in the form of donations, to pay legal fees, and volunteering, to collect signatures. Please donate or volunteer on the sidebar.
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Mail us a check payable to:
West Milford First
P.O. Box 33, West Milford, NJ, 07480.
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meeting Summary
meeting Summary
The meeting was convened by Glenn Wenzel, chairman of West Milford First, to discuss proposed changes to the town's government structure. The meeting featured multiple speakers, including Pat Wenzel, former mayor Carl Richko, and Wayne Gottleib, who presented a proposal for transitioning back to a nonpartisan government with a ward system.
Pat Wenzel explained the history of the 2003 government change, which shifted to a partisan system with a directly elected mayor. Glenn Wenzel discussed the benefits of nonpartisan government, emphasizing that it allows any candidate to run without party affiliation. Carl Richko presented the case for a ward system, highlighting the importance of local representation across the town's 82 square miles. Wayne Gottleib detailed the proposed council-manager system, explaining how it would function with a professional town manager overseeing day-to-day operations.
The meeting concluded with a discussion about next steps, including the need to hire an attorney to draft the ballot question and gather signatures for the petition. The proposed budget for legal expenses was estimated at $2,500, with current funds at approximately $600. The group aims to gather 4,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot in the 2025 election.
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