‘Repertoire Of Disruption’: Cranford Mayor Speaks Out On Viral Dancer At Council Meeting

CRANFORD, NJ – The mayor of Cranford is speaking out after a resident's dance-filled protest on the floor of the Township Committee's meeting last Tuesday continues to go viral online.

Will Thilly, a local activist and candidate seeking a council spot in November, built a dance session on Sept. 2 into a channel of frustration over higher taxes that has since gained thousands of views on social media. Now, Mayor Terrence Curran is sharing his thoughts on what he feels may have been fodder for online amusement, but is actually a nuisance to others there for serious business.

"Mr. Thilly's repertoire of disruption is well-documented: hostile outbursts, unproductive silence at the podium, misrepresentation of facts, and now, a breakdancing routine," Curran tells Patch. "What he cannot offer in substance, he substitutes with spectacle."

Curran, one of the two members seeking re-election in November against Thilly, sat front and center as he began his allotted five minutes given to those in the public looking to speak. The demonstration begins with a 60-second silent robot dance. Eventually, he breaks the routine to look directly at the Mayor and demand answers to what Thilly says is the "resident-funded overdevelopment of Cranford."

He points to the development of luxury apartments and other community features being added to the areas of Walnut Avenue and Birchwood Avenue as placing the burden on residential taxpayers. Thilly is also looking to advance the lawsuit he and a group of attorneys have to nullify a 30-year, multi-million dollar tax break given to the Walnut developer.

It's the residents, he says, that are truly suffering, paying with their wallets to mask the lack in support for educational projects coming from real estate deals and the like. He argues that this includes the $55 million January 2024 bond referendum that was approved and supposed to only raise tax bills by "four hundred bucks on an average assessed home" while simultaneously enriching facilities and projects for the schools in the area.

“While this is his First Amendment right, this is not civic engagement,” Curran says of Thilly's demonstration, “…while his antics may win chuckles on social media, they undermine meaningful public discourse and distract from the serious work residents rely on their local government to perform.”

Curran believes the people of Cranford should have full confidence that leaders are listening, adding that

"Affordability is always a concern, and the Township Committee continues to balance providing essential services with rising costs.

In 2025, the municipal operating budget rose less than one percent, while the overall budget increased by three percent—driven largely by healthcare and sewer costs. Beyond that, the overall tax bill also reflects the Cranford School Bond referendum approved by voters, the Cranford Schools budget, the Library budget, and the Union County budget.

These are complex financial realities that demand careful stewardship, not stunts.”

Thilly says, if elected, he is fully prepared to act in a official manner after "being in every meeting and workshop for the past four years." He will be running later this year as an independent.