A decade ago, I got involved with a non-profit – The Citizens Campaign. I was a teacher interested in civics education, and Harry Pozycki ran a non-profit focused on promoting civic engagement.
The mission of the organization is simple: to educate citizens about the political process so that they can bring about progress in their communities. One of the core principles of the organization is that progress is possible when you focus on solutions – not blame. Harry preached a no-blame problem solving approach, developed a civics curriculum around this principle, and then supported the development of local groups known as Civic Trusts.
When I first got involved with the organization, I joined as a founding member of the Newark Civic Trust. I later worked with Harry to develop and promote his civics education curriculum. A highlight of this partnership was when we were invited to speak before the NJ State Board of Education.
In West Orange, we can learn from the example set by Harry and the Citizens Campaign – now the Citizen Service. Besides the no-blame problem solving approach, other fundamental concepts include civility, service, and pragmatism.
Over the last few years, the discourse in town has deteriorated into chaos and vitriol. The Mayor and the Council spent the better part of two years in court. Council members routinely cut each other off, and public comment is often characterized by anger and the assignment of blame. There are factions in town, and those divisions get in the way of progress.
Not too long ago, the West Orange Board of Education was also mired in infighting. People who have been around longer than me routinely tell me how chaotic and mean spirited the meetings used to be. During my tenure as President, I’ve made an effort to maintain a level head, keep the peace, and focus on solutions that move the ball forward.
That’s the kind of leadership we need in town hall. That’s the kind of Mayor that we need to move West Orange forward.
We have no shortage of problems – downtown redevelopment, affordable housing, our growing debt, and our budget, just to name a few of the big ones. We can’t afford to waste time casting blame or to lose sight of the real problem by relitigating the past.
We need to look ahead, work on solutions, and make progress towards the future.