Welcome to the Montclair Weekly
Hi! I’m your neighbor, Mariana Horta. I watch our local government because their decisions can make our lives a little bit better or substantially worse. Will we ever get a bike lane, a skate park, or a senior center? Will the streetlights get fixed? How long will you have to wait for an ambulance? Can you get a ticket for parking on a broken meter? How much are your taxes? It’s all up to them. Yet, only 32% of voters participated in the last municipal elections (a blockbuster turnout).
We, the People, are too busy to pay attention! So I started this substack to bring you a snarky digest of local issues.
Subscribe to Montclair Weekly to learn what happened in town last week and what needs your attention this week. It’s a 5-minute read with links to local news, meeting agendas, petitions, and any relevant information I find each week.
My husband generously subsidizes this newsletter (thank you, Ethan). It’s free to you and also free of advertising. I do not share your information, and you may unsubscribe and be forgotten at any time (please don’t).
If you enjoy scrolling, follow me on Instagram @MontclairWeekly. I will eventually post there and on Twitter @MontclairWeekly (if I can get over the fact that I hate Twitter). I don’t post on Facebook as Montclair Weekly, but you should follow the “Aware in Montclair” group there. Mercifully, I’m too middle-aged for TikTok.
Why I’m doing this now
I want to help more people pay attention to local issues. My motivation for starting this week in 2023 is our municipal government's corruption scandals. If you don’t know what I mean, please read our CFO’s civil complaint against the township. Removing the manager was an important step, but it was insufficient. The malfeasance hasn’t disappeared with Tim Stafford.
Still, I think engaged residents can help right this ship by watching closely, making noise, volunteering their talents, and demanding transparency and accountability.
I feel super awkward writing about myself, so I kept this short. If you have a question or criticism, please email me. I would love to chat.
