The Door to Opportunity

This blog has been a bit short on good news.

The circuitous and often frustrating road to success with the tree ordinance has been exhausting. The lack of action on the part of the township council has been hovering above our heads like a dark cloud.

And though we still do not know what the outcome of the council discussion will be in its June 2 tree ordinance meeting, there is some outstanding progress that has occurred on other fronts.

One major bump in the road for We Care has been a limitation on funding. This has necessitated that heretofore all advocacy and legal efforts were implemented by some dedicated volunteers, volunteers who understandably have other concerns in their own professional and personal lives.

The complexity of tasks to be addressed in this campaign to restrict development of the woods behind the West Essex Highlands has been burdensome, yet borne nobly by a half a dozen people.

But there is relief in immediate sight. Barbara Bailey, a concerned and very generous member of We Care, has made a significant contribution to help in the hire of an attorney. Other members have jumped in with contributions as well, and the advocacy group is on its way to having legal counsel that will pick up where the valiant volunteers have stopped to rest. The projection is that this funding will sustain legal representation for an extended period.

Though the volunteers will remain active and dedicated to this cause, having counsel to carry the most significant weight will be a ray of sunshine in this 9 year battle.

This gift from Barbara has opened the door to opportunity at a most critical time. We harbor hope that the donation will continue to inspire others to come forward with gifts.

There is now a good possibility that the residents of West Orange will eventually benefit from solid and forward thinking environmental policies to include tree stewardship and open space planning.