EAST ORANGE, NJ — This election season in East Orange has been fairly quiet. Democratic Mayor Ted R. Green is running for reelection unopposed, as are the following Democratic council members: Ward 1 Councilman Christopher James, Ward 3 Councilman Bergson Leneus, Ward 4 Councilwoman Tameika Garrett-Ward and Ward 5 Councilwoman Alicia Holman. The only contested East Orange race is for Ward 2 council member, with Democratic incumbent Christopher Awe vying to reclaim his seat against independent challenger Simone Jelks-Bandison.
Awe, who has served as Ward 2 councilman since 2018, is a lifelong East Orange resident, who attended East Orange public schools and participated in programming from the East Orange Recreation Department and local YMCA.
“My first job was (at the) East Orange library. My first internship was (with the) East Orange Department of Employment and Training and our Finance Department. I am and have been East Orange through and through. And that reflects ever so apparent in my adult life,” Awe told the Record-Transcript. “This influenced my professional choices, too. I taught here in East Orange, teaching middle school math. I didn’t limit myself to just inside the classroom. I also wrote curriculum, coached, mentored with mentorship programs that I started, tutored and prepped scholars for the SAT and other standardized tests.”
Additionally, Awe served as park director for the city’s rec department and worked with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office prior to becoming an elected official. He currently serves as director of outreach for the Essex County clerk’s office.
“Community galvanization and engagement is my passion. I’m able to indulge in that passion through an array of organizations and programs. My beloved fraternity of Phi Beta Sigma is a big outlet for my passion. I thoroughly enjoyed my work with the Urban League of Essex County Young Professionals,” Awe said. “My work with Essex County Democratic Committee and East Orange Democratic Committee has been the appropriate segue to my current service now. I had the pleasure of serving as 2nd Ward Democratic chairman here in East Orange for eight years, truly shaping my service to my ward and city and giving me the experience and background to take on my role now.”
Jelks-Bandison described herself as “a Jersey girl.” The real estate agent said she has been looking for ways to redefine herself while bringing improvements to East Orange and working for her neighbors. Jelks-Bandison, who is an alumna of George Mason University with a degree in social work and a minor in fine arts, is running under the slogan “Independently Empowering the Community.”
“At the age of 41, I should be settled and content. Instead, I am renegotiating the terms of my life. A mother of two beautiful children, an advocate in my community for nearly a decade and a real estate agent, I have been meticulously experiencing the lessons of what I thought was my life. It was a life, fragments of my being, not supporting who I am becoming nor the place I need to arrive,” Jelks-Bandison told the Record-Transcript.
“I would describe myself as resilient and passionate as I work diligently within the community of East Orange to educate and advocate for the community. I am a present force in the community,” she continued. “My team and I organize, plan and implement creative events for our seniors. I was a team mom for the Pop Warner in organizing games, I was acting president of the Parent Committee of East Orange Rams, board member of the East Orange Jr. Jaguars Football and Cheer Program, board member of the East Orange Chamber of Commerce, a PTA member, and assistant to the East Orange Fire Department Basketball League. I continue to promote environmental awareness while protecting our natural green spaces. I am involved in back-to-school giveaways, I assist in feeding and clothing the homeless, and I collaborate with local businesses for various relief funds.”
According to Jelks-Bandison, the top issues in East Orange today are accountability and transparency, which touch several areas of concern — parking, taxes, low state test scores and lack of quality affordable housing — that constituents have expressed to the candidate during community outreach initiatives.
“If elected I will formulate inclusive and diverse subcommittees throughout my ward in which our district leaders will be required to keep their finger on the pulse of our community, in which I can filter real-time information to my fellow council members,” she said. “This information will afford us the opportunity to investigate, legislate and appropriate to find solutions (to problems) that plague our ever-changing population. Through these initiatives I will be transparent so that my constituents will be educated through my term so they can hold me accountable for their quality of living.”
She said she would also like to see council meetings held both in person and virtually, to allow the greatest number of residents to attend; a breakdown of what various city committees are voting on that can be distributed to residents; updated ordinances, especially those concerning business in East Orange; signs placed on sites designated for development; and safer crosswalks and well-lit streets.
According to Awe, the two top issues in East Orange are parking and taxes.
“As more and more people see how great a place East Orange is to live, and the trend of multicar households continues, parking has been an issue for new and older residents alike,” Awe said. “We have created an ad hoc committee to tackle this issue. We’ve tinkered with our overnight parking rules to address needs of specific wards. We’ve experimented with alternate-side parking rules. We make sure we strictly adhere to one-to-one parking requirements for oncoming developments projects. We will continue these efforts and collaborate with residents to creatively address this issue.”
As for taxes, while Awe is proud of the work that has already been done in this area, he looks forward to doing more.
“East Orange is no stranger to our high tax burden, much like the rest of North Jersey. But we have done extensive work in stabilizing our taxes with no tax hike in our last two budgets — under my watch as Finance (Committee) chair,” Awe said. “With that said, we have actively started to address this issue. The burst of development that we have been able to facilitate is a big help by bringing in more business, bringing in more rateables, and getting lots and land parcels that were offline back online and on tax rolls. Also, practicing fiscal responsibility and really watching spending is the biggest way we can combat the issue.”
Awe emphasized that, when passing zero-increase budgets during the past two years, the city did not cut any services or programming for residents, instead expanding them.
“We’ve also been awarded record amounts of grant dollars,” he said, adding that he has overseen this as chairperson of the Planning and Grants Committee. “This helped us to get through the rough financial times of COVID. We will continue to keep a hawk eye on our spending and continue making smart investments into our city with responsible development, knowing that it will pay dividends soon to help our tax situation.”
Jelks-Bandison supports applying for grants and seeking revenue streams beyond taxes; she is looking for partnerships within the community.
“I would investigate money streams and resources by way of grants. Where the fat can be trimmed, I will vote amongst my colleagues to do so. I will vote against long-term tax abatements and force accountability. I will continue to sort out the great talents and build partnerships and relationships with residents in the city,” she said. “The 2nd Ward is home to the business district. We have such great potential and talent. I will rely on my partnerships with the community to seek and bring forth initiatives that will benefit all residents. It has been proven that with my partnerships with local business and talents that creative initiatives can be developed in order to offset monetary hardships.”
While the crime rate has improved significantly in recent years, crime is still mentioned as a worry for some residents. According to Jelks-Bandison, the first step in addressing ongoing crime concerns is looking closely at police policies.
“My first call to action would be to look at East Orange, which is 3.93 square miles, with a critical lens. I would like to take a close look at policies and procedures of the East Orange Police Department and then schedule a meeting with Chief (Phyllis) Bindi,” she said, adding that current needs she has identified include: increased police presence on foot and on bike; required quarterly computer-based training on community policing, de-escalation and mental health; mental health professionals on staff to collaborate with officers on calls; annual training and assessments; updating ordinances to require any building with six or more units to maintain operative cameras and proper lighting; and encouraging tenant, block and neighborhood watch associations.
According to Awe, East Orange is a model for other communities in how it has reduced its crime, and he said he has not been hearing concerns about crime from constituents.
“Crime will always be a concern of any community, but we are hearing a little different from our residents,” Awe said. “We’re proud to tout historic crime reduction rates and residents are really feeling that and praising it. It is this that makes East Orange a case study model for other cities. Among the things to credit for that is our investments in technology and our focus on community policing. We have been recruiting heavily and continue to bring in record numbers of talented public safety professionals that are of the community, not just working in our community.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted several issues in the nation, as well as on the local levels, that show systemic issues regarding equity and support. But Awe again praised East Orange for its handling of the pandemic and its support of residents.
“Cultivation of relationships with state and federal partners, as well as our community partners, has assured that we don’t lack in resources to aid every and any resident,” Awe said. “I, as well as my council colleagues, fully take on this administration’s creed of ‘One City, One Community, One Goal … Progress.’ Understanding that we as a city are only as good as our most vulnerable resident, we do whatever we can to raise the quality of life of every and any resident that needs our assistance. Our COVID response exhibited and reinforced just that.”
Jelks-Bandison stressed that it is important for East Orange residents to know their rights on the local and federal level.
“As a council member, it would be my job to disseminate materials in different languages and hold workshops within my ward, with the assistance of my district leaders and local businesses. Advocates with the community will be called upon to help to filter through information and promote it throughout the community,” she said. “My campaign is a grassroots campaign. I am building and sustaining relationships within my community to keep my finger on its pulse while providing residents with the knowledge and information needed to promote not just mental, but physical well-being. Together, we can make a difference.”
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2, and there are multiple ways for county residents to vote — by mail, early in-person voting, via drop box and in person on the day.
Awe and Jelks-Bandison run for 2nd Ward council seat added by Yael Katzwer on
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