CAMPAIGN CORNER by Amy Aughenbaugh: The initiatives and proposals of the past four years can be continued if the mayor is re-elected.
For the past four years, I have served as mayor of Hightstown and dedicated my time to assure that all citizens of this borough receive premium municipal services. I continue to explore key initiatives and programs each and every day to provide the best quality of life and services for both residents and those who choose to do business in our town.
All the initiatives that I have proposed in moving forward during my tenure as mayor have been closely scrutinized, debated and discussed at both private and public meetings involving all our elected officials and anyone from the town who wanted to provide us their own opinions. And all of these efforts are a result of being part of a team.
We, myself and council, all provide our own insights into how we can accomplish the goals established and how best to move toward that ultimate end. Over the last four years, the Borough Council and I have been involved in those discussions and we have ulitmately been on the same page when it came time to vote or move forward with a critical issue affecting the borough.
As mayor, I do not operate as a sole decision-maker and take into account that this is a system where the council and citizens have as much say in decisions about the borough as I do. This is all part of being a public servant and how I have spent the last four years of my tenure as your mayor.
As a member of a team, it is important that differences of opinion be part of a debate; it is healthy and usually leads to a better outcome. Open dialogue makes for a friendlier council meeting and this approach is one that I have decided to initiate to encourage stronger attendance and participation at council meetings for residents.
Although situated in the middle of the busy New York-Philadelphia metropolis, Hightstown Borough continues to remain a true bedroom community. And currently the town is bustling with excitement because of the long-awaited downtown revitalization project. The revitalization of our town center had been a priority of mine since the day I began to campaign for mayor four years ago. Not only will the revitalization enhance our standing in the surrounding communities, but it will increase our presence in Mercer County, as Hightstown is the first community travelers in the county enter from the New Jersey Turnpike heading west. We will make a perfect promotional picture for the Mercer County tourist brochures, if not as a model for "New Jersey and You, Perfect Together."
With phase one of the project well under way, phase two of the revitalization project needs to begin now. I have begun exploring avenues which will provide additional grant funding for the streetscape enhancements to continue. I am currently reviewing options with Mercer County to provide financial assistance and I am encouraged by our discussions to date. Eventually, Hightstown revitalization phase two would continue to the Turnpike, our parking lot facilities and potentially along roads connecting to the downtown. These remarkable improvements and appearance in our downtown area attract residents, new businesses and visitors from all over New Jersey. And by having a strong and viable economic base, we can continue to be assured dependable community services.
Maintaining a dependable municipal government for Hightstown residents is my priority. Each municipal department head in our borough continues to find ways to eliminate duplication, improve efficiency and save money. Yet, those departments still have the potential to become a shared service when it makes sense to do so. I have always maintained full support of shared services with other communities and have strongly promoted regional programs with other institutions, such as our school district.
However, unless I can justify long-term savings or reducing costs by improving government efficiency or that safer and healthier services will be offered (other than what we now provide for our residents) I will never advocate combining, regionalizing or sharing of our own municipal services with any agency. In fact, selling the Hightstown Water Department and the advance wastewater treatment plant is not on my agenda. These two departments bring in revenue to the borough revenue that, in the future, our children and grandchildren can rely on to help maintain a stable municipal tax rate and continue to keep a healthy and desirable Hightstown, a community with its own individuality, uniqueness and sense of identity and security.
As mayor, establishing initiatives is my focus as a leader. One community-driven initiative I have supported is the neighborhood housing repair program which will provide support needed to improvements to homes and neighborhoods. This funding will assist eligible residents to receive forgivable loans to improve their homes.
Another similar initiative I have supported is for public space upgrades. These neighborhood improvements, which are solely funded by state and federal grants, include repairs to sidewalks and curbs, municipal roadways and improvements to playgrounds and borough parks. An example of this initiative is the purchase of a new boardwalk through Rocky Brook Park.
My bid in last year’s state Senate race has enhanced my contacts with the state legislators and commissioners. One example is dialogue with the commissioner of the Department of Transportation and other mayors of small communities with whom I have been meeting to discuss ways to eliminate heavy truck traffic on our municipal roads.
I have and always will be committed to the residents of this great borough and I will continue to build on progress and improve the lives of our residents and the health of our community.
Let’s keep that team together and revitalize Hightstown Borough to make it the best historic hometown to live and work in New Jersey. Hightstown will continue to prosper if we all work together for the town. Your help is crucial to that success and look forward to the opportunity to serve you another four years. Please vote Aughenbaugh for mayor on Tuesday, June 4.
Amy Aughenbaugh is the Democratic mayor of Hightstown. She is a candidate in the Democratic primary for mayor.