Commission will help borough
promote tolerance, diversity
By Sandi carpello
Staff Writer
MILLTOWN — The borough has recently joined the ranks of 18 Middlesex County municipalities that are striving to promote harmony and conciliation among their residents.
Last week, Mayor Gloria Bradford and the Borough Council approved the establishment of the Milltown Human Relations Commission, a volunteer group charged with increasing tolerance in the community while addressing problems of bias and violent acts based on a victim’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
East Brunswick resident Bob Stone, 65, who is a patent lawyer and a longtime member of the Middlesex County Human Relations Commission, approached the mayor and council, requesting that it launch a commission of its own.
Stone has been an instrumental force in implementing commissions in several area communities, including South River, Carteret and Spotswood.
Stone said that although there are communities in Middlesex County that are not as diverse as others, human relations commissions help residents to understand that "people are cut from different fabrics."
Stone said the commission’s primary focus is to bring people together where "a dialogue can take place." In their efforts to achieve this goal, the commissions traditionally sponsor educational programs throughout the year that promote ethnic and racial understanding. At no cost to the borough, commissions sponsor diversity fairs, as well as programs to honor equal rights heroes such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
In addition, the commissions work closely with local law enforcement agencies and school districts to educate students on "the December dilemma," a discussion of the various holidays that fall around that particular time of year.
According to Stone, the commissions originated during the Civil Rights movement in Piscataway and Highland Park. They were further established in the 1980s in municipalities such as East Brunswick, Old Bridge and Sayreville.
Milltown plans to appoint seven members to its commission. Members will be selected by a vote of the majority of the borough council. The initial terms of members would be three members for terms of three years each; three members for terms of two years; and one member for a one-year term.
The commission will meet at least once a month.

