HILLSBOROUGH: Township, bucking debt freeze, relaunches credit card program

By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
   The township marked the official re-launch of the Hillsborough Rewards Visa Credit Card program, in partnership with Affinity Federal Credit Union, by presenting the very first card to Credit Card Advisory Committee member Anthony Natale at Tuesday’s Township Committee meeting.
   ”This is a win-win for all,” Mr. Natale said as he received his card. “Thanks to the support of Affinity, it is a reality.”
   Patrick McDermott, assistant vice president of business solutions for Affinity, originally presented the plans for launching the township credit card – which had been run through United National Bank from 2001 through 2005 – in the fall of 2008, as a way of increasing funds for local organizations while residents go about their normal purchases.
   Now, after working with the township’s Credit Card Advisory Committee to recreate the program and preparing to advertise it to residents, Affinity has the card ready to go, he said.
   ”We have never worked on a program like this before,” he said. “It has been a long road, but we made it.”
   Affinity was awarded a two-year contract in August to administer the program at no cost to residents. Anyone who is a member of any organization that has partnered with Affinity for the Hillsborough project, including township employees, can apply for a Hillsborough credit card.
   ”Residents can join the (organizations) to get a card,” Mr. McDermott said. “Once they join, they are eligible for membership in the program.”
   According to Committeeman Carl Suraci, a net percentage of the monthly purchases on the cards at Hillsborough businesses will be returned to the Hillsborough Credit Card Trust Fund. From there, he said, youth, senior and other non-profit groups can apply for funds to benefit their organizations.
   The exact percentage has not yet been determined.
   Only those organizations that are not for profit – including the Girl and Boy scouts, youth leagues and senior citizen organizations – can apply.
   The applications will be evaluated by the Credit Card Advisory Committee, which will make recommendations to the Township Committee for final approval.
   Township Clerk Kevin Davis said organizations that have partnered with Affinity for distribution of the credit card cannot apply for any allocated funds if they are not non-profit. On the other hand, he said, non-profit organizations that have not joined Affinity can apply for the funds.
   In addition to benefiting from these possible funds, Mr. McDermott said, it is hoped that having the partnership with the non-profit, and other, organizations in town will boost membership.
   ”One byproduct of this program is the exposure that the non-profits will get,” Mr. Suraci added.
   Currently, Mr. McDermott said, local non-profits — including the Somerset Valley Players, Hillsborough Dukes, Senior Citizen Chapters A and B, the Women’s Club, the Hillsborough Republican Club, the Auten Road Intermediate School H.S.A, the Triangle School H.S.A and the Resource Center for Women and their Families — have partnered with the credit union in the program. Hillsborough Rotary Club membership is pending, and they are hoping to partner with more groups in the future, he said.
   Aside from the benefits for local organizations, Mr. McDermott said, cardholders receive one point for every dollar charged. These points can be exchanged for gift certificates, travel and cash, among other rewards.
   Mr. McDermott said Affinity has invested funds in advertising the program throughout the township, including displaying three different billboards for three consecutive months, distributing brochures to local businesses and sending a mailing to all residents to explain the program and benefits.
   Now, Affinity is just waiting for people to sign on with the program.
   ”We are grateful to Affinity for opening their services,” Mr. Suraci said.
   For more information or to sign up for a card, call 800-325-0808, or visit the Web site at affinityfcu.org/hillsborough. The Affinity Hillsborough branch is located in the Hillsborough Promenade, on Route 206.