Implement a townwide environmental sustainability campaign.

Expand crosswalk safety initiatives.

Institute a year-round Board of School Estimate budgetary process for the Montclair School District.

Consider overnight parking options.

Improve access to municipal meetings and corresponding documents.

These points are included in the nearly 50 priorities set forth by Mayor Jerry Fried in the first phase of a strategic plan for the Township Council members’ terms, from now until 2012.

The document, called "Montclair Roots, Montclair Branches: Laying the Groundwork for a Sustainable Future," reflects the environmentally sound, grassroots platform on which Fried and several of his council colleagues campaigned when running for office this past spring.

From governance to sustainability, the plan touches on the highs and lows of Montclair life.

"Montclair desperately needs to lessen the crushing property tax burden, yet taxes increase. It needs more affordable housing, yet there is less each year. We understand that commercial property development and stronger local businesses are our greatest hope for easing the burden on residents, yet we seem to miss our opportunities for the smartest growth," Fried stated in the plan’s introduction.

"We aspire to be a truly diverse community, yet that diversity ebbs. We are an arts leader, yet many of Montclair’s artists and creative people are being priced out. We value our senior citizens and long-time residents, yet many of the people with the deepest roots in the community can no longer afford to live here. We aspire to true environmental sustainability, yet we, too, are part of a global problem that demands sacrifice and massive change."

In the document, Fried declares Montclair to be at a crucial crossroads.

"In essence, we have not been able to stay ahead of the many trends and forces that are changing the quality of our growth," Fried wrote. "This is a potential tragedy, because in many ways, we should be a model for a 21st century American town."

The mayor asserted that Montclair must "be a leader in the areas of urban development, environmental sustainability and [a] diverse cultural mission."

The plan focuses on budgetary issues, as residents have recently been saddled with a 7.44 percent overall tax increase.

"Our economic diversity presents issues and challenges that even the tax revenues from affluent residents cannot easily solve," Fried stated. "We need to keep families and residents from all economic strata here in Montclair."

Concerning monetary issues, the new council has made recommendations that include reinstating and improving the municipality’s Capital Finance Committee and establishing a task force to review "big ticket" structural changes, such as closing facilities and the privatization of services.

The council also intends to expand its budget process to a year-round activity, ensure public comment in such discussions, and use a "cost per household" as the standard measure in fiscal proceedings, according to the plan.

The council proposes structural changes such as "creating specific task forces comprised of experts, town employees, the public and council in order to ensure we are spending our tax dollars wisely and prudently while providing the quality of life, excellent schools, and services our residents deserve."

Additional organizational modifications include reviewing all municipal boards, commissions and committees, creating public forums and online discussions "to identify needs" and "make it easier for people to give and receive assistance and hear the stories of actual residents’ struggles."

The new council members also intend to focus on issues of planning, development, preservation and housing.

The plan particularly notes initiatives such as devising a plan to build the municipality’s urban core, "develop design guidelines for commercial development and renovation," consider measures to assist senior citizens with affordable housing and tax relief, and expand the central historic district to encompass all of Bloomfield Avenue.

Regarding municipal services and public safety, the council intends to work with the administration to improve customer service, help establish a more public police presence, expand crosswalk safety initiatives, and implement a sanitation plan to address a major budget shortfall.

The plan focuses on education, as well. The new council will create a "Mayoral Nominating Committee" to vet appointments to the Board of Education and work "to promote more transparency and accessibility to the board through a council liaison."

"Of course, we will be creating some policy immediately and much along the way to help us move in the right direction," Fried stated. "Many changes require outside funding sources that necessitate grant writing and other commitments which require long-term planning.

"Our overarching goal as a governing body, however, is to make sure that we have a means to utilize the best skills and talents of Montclair’s residents before we create any major changes."

The strategic plan’s second phase will be presented in January.