In 2021, West Orange purchased 95 acres of the Crestmont Country Club for $4.7 million. This purchase was made with borrowed money for which taxpayers are now responsible. Councilwoman Susan McCartney voted for this costly purchase. As mayor, Susan McCartney failed to apply for New Jersey’s Green Acre funding which would provide West Orange with millions to forever protect Crestmont from future development. As Mayor, Joyce will protect these 95 acres of municipal property from future development.

West Orange also owns the 138-acre Rock Spring Golf Course, purchased for $12 million, and financed through municipal borrowing. Then-Councilwoman Susan McCartney voted to approve the purchase. As mayor, Susan McCartney has again failed to apply for $6 million in Green Acres funding that would lower our debt by half.

As Mayor, Joyce will incorporate the principles of environmental protection, requiring LEED certification for new construction projects, retrofit municipal buildings and protect open and green space, into all facets of her administration. Joyce will incorporate definable and verifiable environmental protections into every municipal department and every outside contract.

Joyce will pursue every available Green Acres funding opportunity to permanently protect open space such as Rock Spring and Crestmont, and protect sensitive areas so that West Orange never again faces another Ron Jolyn disaster that left 45 of our township’s families permanently displaced. 

Our environment is everything from the air we breathe to the green grass of our lawns. We can enhance West Orange‘s natural environment by protecting it from overdevelopment, putting renewed focus on tree plantings, maintaining our parks and creating community gardens. As Mayor, Joyce will work diligently and proactively to defend, protect and enhance our environment and our quality of life.