FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — A township resident wants to take advantage of a new state law and initiate a Call to Service Summit in the community.
Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer and Middlesex) that is expected to make it easier for citizens to participate in their municipal government was signed into law last fall.
Freehold Township resident Jeannette Mistretta wants municipal officials to use that law to support a Call to Service Summit. Mistretta took her idea to the Jan. 26 meeting of the Township Committee.
She told officials that the Citizen Service Act was signed into law in October 2009 and requires that a directory of municipal boards and commissions with membership and vacancies be created and that a citizen service application be available.
“Recent polls have shown that New Jersey citizens would like to participate in public service to their communities, but are not aware of the opportunities to serve in nonelected roles on town boards and commissions and by making constructive proposals to these agencies and the governing body itself,” Mistretta said.
She said she and some fellow residents came to town hall to respectfully request a Call to Service Summit at which residents would be able to meet municipal leaders
and learn about the opportunities to serve the community.
After his bill was signed into law, Baroni said, “With numerous municipal authorities, boards and commissions to follow, it can be difficult for citizens to keep track of how their local government operates.
“With rising property
taxes, we need more citizen involvement and this groundbreaking legislation – written in a bipartisan fashion — will ensure that people have the ability to apply and participate when there are vacancies in the local government.”
New Jersey’s Citizen Service Act requires the clerk of a municipality to maintain a directory of local authorities, boards and commissions.
For each of those, the directory must include the number of members or positions; a list of currently appointed members, along with their terms of office; vacancies that have not been filled; a description; a schedule of meeting dates and times; any required financial disclosure of members; and the appointing authority.
The law also requires that a standard application be made available to citizens who wish to be considered for appointment to a municipal authority, board or commission.
“At a time where government needs to be more open and more responsive, this legislation will go a long way to let citizens in to take an active role in their government,” Baroni said.
“The Citizen Service Act has the potential to reverse the trend of declining civic participation, and will provide local residents with the opportunity to participate in ways that can help keep spending and property taxes in check. This is about putting people above politics,” the senator said.