Mayor of East Orange, New Jersey facts for kids
The city of East Orange, New Jersey is run by a special type of government used in New Jersey cities. It has a mayor and a city council. The city council has ten members. These members represent five different areas of the city called "wards," with two members from each ward. The people of East Orange vote directly for their mayor. The ten city council members are elected for four-year terms. Their elections are staggered, meaning one seat in each ward is up for election every two years.
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Mayors of East Orange
East Orange has had many mayors over the years. Here is a list of some of them:
- Ted R. Green, 2018 to present
- Lester E. Taylor III, 2014 to 2018
- Robert L. Bowser, 1994 to 2014
- Cardell Cooper, 1990 to 1994. He was the youngest mayor of East Orange. Later, he worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- John C. Hatcher, Jr., 1986 to 1990
- Thomas Henry Cooke, Jr. (1929–2020), 1978 to 1986. He was a Democratic Party politician.
- William Stanford Hart, Sr. (1925–1999), 1970 to 1978. He was the first African American to be elected mayor of a major New Jersey city.
- James Whyte Kelly Jr. (1911–1990), 1958 to 1970. He was a Democratic Party politician.
- William Mallery McConnell (1891–1978), 1952 to 1958.
- Charles Henry Martens (1883–1955), 1918 to 1952.
- Julian Arthur Gregory (1874–1955), 1914 to 1918.
- Worrall Frederick Mountain (1874–1935), 1911 to 1914.
- William Cardwell (1856–1931), 1905 to 1911.
- Edward Everett Bruen (1860–1938) 1899 to 1905. He was the first mayor of East Orange.
Meet Mayor Ted R. Green
Ted R. Green grew up in East Orange and went to local schools. He studied Business Management at Cheyney University. He also got a certificate as a Housing Counselor from Rutgers University. For over 20 years, he has worked in property maintenance and housing. He also earned a Master's Degree in Human Services from Lincoln University in 2011.
Mayor Green has been involved in East Orange politics for over 25 years. He was a member of the Third Ward Democratic Committee. He also worked as an aide to a New Jersey State Senator.
On January 1, 2006, Ted Green became a member of the East Orange City Council. He represented the Third Ward. He led the Business and Development committee for the city. On January 1, 2015, he was chosen as the Chairman of the East Orange City Council. He held this position for two years. On January 1, 2018, he became the 14th Mayor of East Orange. He won the election with a very large number of votes.
Mayor Green's Community Work
In 1990, Mayor Green started the Green's School of Martial Arts. This program offers positive activities for young people in East Orange. As mayor, he has started many community programs. He has also supported important laws, including:
- A law in 2015 that stopped the sale of toy guns that look real. This law helps keep kids safe.
- Laws to help homeowners avoid losing their homes to foreclosure.
- Laws to provide job training for local residents.
- A resolution to support gun control and mental health programs.
- Programs to help people with past criminal records get back into the community.
- A "Back to School" event and "Fathers Walk." These events encourage fathers to walk their children to school on the first day.
Mayor Green has received many awards for his service. These include the 2003 HANDS Incorporated Award for Community Leadership and the 2016 President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Community Service Award.
Mayor Green's Leadership and City Improvements
As a City Council member, Mayor Green served on many important committees. He worked with the Mayor, the County Board, and the State Legislature. As Mayor, he manages a large city budget. In his first year, he saved the city over $140,000. He did this by having city workers clean the streets instead of paying a private company.
Mayor Green also created the "Mayor on the Block" program. With city staff, he walks through different parts of each ward every two weeks. He checks on residents' needs and concerns. He looks for areas that need cleaning or safety improvements. His goal is to visit every block in the city. In 2018, he covered more than 65% of the city.
Under his leadership, crime in East Orange decreased by 17% between 2018 and 2019. More than 50 new police officers were hired. Also, over $1 billion has been invested in the city by private companies.
Mayor Green is a member of the Eta Pi chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He is married to June Green. They have two sons, Eric Lamar and Salahuddin, and four grandchildren.
Lester E. Taylor III (2014 to 2018)
Lester E. Taylor III became mayor at 39 years old. This made him the second youngest mayor in East Orange's history. He studied political science at Montclair State University. He also earned a law degree from Howard University School of Law. Mayor Taylor is a lawyer and a partner at a law firm. He started several new programs in the city. These included the Quality of Life Task Force and the East Orange College and Career Readiness Network.
Thomas H. Cooke Jr. (1978 to 1986)
Thomas H. Cooke Jr. (October 13, 1929 - May 18, 2020) was a Democratic Party politician. He served as Mayor of East Orange from 1978 to 1986. He was first elected to the East Orange City Council in 1961 when he was 32 years old. He was re-elected several times.
In 1967, Cooke ran for the New Jersey General Assembly. He was elected to the Essex County Board of Freeholders in 1970. He was re-elected in 1973.
He ran for Mayor in 1977 and won. He was re-elected in 1981. He later ran for Essex County Executive but did not win. He also tried to become mayor again in 1997 but was not successful.
