4/28/09

State of Jackson Township

Members of the Township Council, Department Heads and residents of Jackson;

I continue a township tradition that needs to be reinstated, this evening I present to you the State of our Municipality. As we enter 2009, I am proud to say that our Township is ready to embark on the next phase of our joint desire to improve the quality of life of our residents and embrace our businesses, a journey that began with prior administrations and continues today.

In 2009, we expect to see several projects that we have been working on come to fruition, while others will start to move forward.

We have initiated a revitalization program for all of our Parks and Recreational facilities. Through the efforts of Township volunteers combined with a dedicated Public Works and Recreation Department the majority of this work will be performed with grant money and with some labor being done by our volunteers. As we recently witnessed, the skate park along with other Township recreational facilities have succumbed to vandalism and neglect. Most were closed for safety concerns and while we realized it may not have been a popular decision it was closed due to safety concerns and stayed closed until it was safe.

The compost facility on Kierych Dr. will soon be relocated to a temporary site while we work on opening a new Recycling center that will be part of Jackson’s commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Another decision that had to be made because of new recommendations set forth by the State DEP refusing to accept grass clippings and Jackson’s changing demographics. Upon completion, this Recycling center should not only improve functionality but take what was once a large expense and hopefully turn it into a revenue maker for Jackson.

We are in negotiations that if approved by the Township Council will allow billboard advertising on I-195 that will promote economic development in Jackson as well as bring in additional revenue to the township. This was an idea suggested by a resident in 2008 and is now being implemented. We look for continued input from our residents for good solid ideas and recommendations that can benefit all of us.

I have recently sent a letter to Governor Corzine asking him not to sign the current Senate and Assembly bill that will allow all New age restricted developments to be waived and turned into family units costing our town millions in additional school taxes.

In recent conversations with our Veterans and those currently serving our country proudly I have asked the Governor and the Legislature to amend the COAH regulations to now include affordable housing for our Veterans and all service personnel, active or reservist. These American heroes return to us from serving our country proudly only to find in today’s economy no jobs and no housing. We ladies and gentlemen of Jackson will lead the way in finding all service personnel housing.

We are now aggressively seeking grants by using every available means necessary. By actively pursuing and obtaining these grants regularly we will use less taxpayer dollars to get projects off the ground and completed without raising taxes through the roof or encumbering additional bonding debt.

Shared Services has begun with the BOE and the MUA. Meetings continue regularly and we communicate often. We all recognized that this is how government can maximize savings without losing the valuable services that our community deserves. I have also been in contact with 3 neighboring Ocean County Towns to discuss the need and value of inter local agreements.

We have started looking to reconfigure dangerous roads here in Jackson such as Freehold Rd and East Veterans Highway, hopefully reducing the tragedies that have occurred on them in recent years. This is long overdue and again with Jackson’s demographics constantly changing this work in progress will not end there. It is incumbent on us to extend driver education to our children both at school and at home. In recent conversations with Ocean County they have assured me that they will be responsive to Jackson’s needs and assist us in finding ways to make our roads safer for all motorists and pedestrians.

2009 will be a challenging year for our Township. We face COAH issues, continued DEP and Pinelands restrictions, reduced state aid and funding for both the Township and our school system, the same state legislation that aids the inner cities but does nothing to aid growing Townships like Jackson.

Our economic development plans continue to be hampered by the States stringent rules and regulations. We will do our best to navigate through this economic storm with the help of our professionals and dedicated volunteers whose years of experience have been a good friend to Jackson. They will find a way to get through the states bureaucracy by using creative ways to solve these complex problems.

We developed a pro active Gypsy Moth program and plan to assure that the problems of last year are not repeated. I can't take credit for the help that mother nature has provided for us in terms of the gypsy moth cycle, but we now have a model program for when the gypsy moth cycle returns, and hopefully that will be many decades from now.

We have completed the township Tax revaluation, which was approved years ago by the Township Committee. This has been a difficult transition for some of our residents to understand. The revaluation was essential in equalizing the tax burden throughout the Township. This reassessment was long overdue as the last Township reassessment was done in 1988. Thankfully it is now behind us and we can move forward on now trying to stabilize taxes even further. I would like to extend a special thank you to the Tax Assessor and her staff for guiding us through this difficult transition.

We have seen a decrease in revenue as a result of the declining state aid and now have to institute mandated spending restrictions across the board to hold spending in check. However, despite these challenges, we expect to see a municipal budget that will see a modest increase in taxes. To achieve this, we have had to:

• Freeze all non union and non contractual salaries,
• We are looking to reopen negotiations with our unions,
• Hold professional service contracts to 90% of last year spending,
• Township vehicles are no longer allowed to be taken home, except emergency personnel,
• No idling policy strictly enforced,
• Cell phones have been taken back and only Department Heads and Emergency Services now have township phones,
• Department heads have to justify every dollar spent and requested,
• Restructuring of all departments and their practices.

Our Citizens Budget Advisory Committee has been instrumental in shaping this budget and I thank them for their time and effort. This represented an unprecedented open budget process and I am looking forward to future collaborative efforts with members of the community in evaluating further efficiencies in township operations.

With that understanding, the Township essentially needs to go back to the basics. What are the priorities that citizens want from their government?

We want to get at the underlying goals that our residents need, such as, to feel safe and secure or to educate our kids, and how we can deliver those results at a price that residents are willing to pay.

The present economy now calls for us to differentiate between our wants and needs. This approach asks us as a community to identify the things that matter the most. This will require tough decisions and may not be the most popular. I look to our department heads and committed residents to help develop this plan. If you want to be a partner in this effort, I strongly encourage you to contact my office and let me know.

When I took office I promised I would get the job done, today I remain steadfast in that commitment as I have not let up since taking the reins. It would be impossible to discuss where our Township stands today without discussing where the Township has been.

Only a year ago, our township was known for our famous political fights. There were front page headlines almost daily providing negative stories for the newspapers and local radios. Today, we have restored our credibility with the assistance of the township Council to the government of Jackson. Our residents complained of a government that was unresponsive and secretive. Today, our elected officials and our employees take their role as customer service representatives to the taxpayers with pride and the doors of township hall are wide open.

• No longer must the township Council grovel for information – all they need to do is ask.
• Department head meetings are now held regularly to assure proper communication among all of the department heads, and that all priorities are clear, understood and achievable.
• Our finances are available for anyone wanting to know where we are and where we spend our money.
• Our purchasing department has been reorganized to assure the best competitive price for goods and services purchased by the township. And single competitive bids will no longer be the norm.
• Our web site is updated daily and made to answer most frequently asked question while providing information that can assist you in finding ways to file a tax appeal to where to get a rabies shot for your pet. Further improvements are expected as the year progresses.

I talk about the past to remind you of one simple fact. We are in a new era of government in Jackson Township. The road has not been easy, but is has been traveled and we still have a long way to go.

Our Township Council is comprised of dedicated individuals. Instead of putting up political roadblocks these individuals work with me most of the time, and together as a team, we work together to resolve the difficult and complex problems that reflect on the quality of life of our residents. I thank them for their dedication and their support.

I would be remiss if I did not thank our dedicated employees and concerned citizens who have worked together to make these great strides. I want to reiterate the word “VOLUNTEERS”, without these outstanding individuals Jackson Township would not get by the way it does. We all can’t say thank you enough to our First Responders and to the members of all our boards, committees and commissions. I am very grateful and am humbled for the opportunity to serve all of you as your Mayor. I, the members of the Township Council and all of the employees of Jackson Township are committed to serving you and dedicated to providing you the high quality services you have come to expect.

As a 22 year resident of Jackson, I know that Jackson Township is a very special place to live, work, and raise a family. Like all of you I am a proud Jackson Township resident. We enjoy living in a clean and attractive community with quality of life opportunities for people of all ages. Most importantly, Jackson Township is a safe community - a safe place to live, work, and raise a family. Our children and grandchildren are fortunate to be able to attend outstanding schools, have access to an excellent library, and enjoy a wide variety of recreational and cultural opportunities. The core values we commonly share as citizens are the foundation on which Jackson Township has been built, and these values will continue to guide and inspire us as we look to the future. I am confident that working together, we will continue to see our community prosper for many years to come.

Thank you once again to all of you, have a good evening and a safe ride home.