The mayor and Township Council members in Jackson work hard every day to ensure Jackson is the best place to live, work and raise a family. Over the last month, I have been invited to a series of outreach and resilience meetings with various groups and individuals. We discussed multicultural and religious information from around Ocean County.
These meetings included members of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General. I had the opportunity to meet and interact with the diverse contingent of residents, local leaders and members of religious faiths.
What I took away from these hours of workshop groups, discussing all sides of cultural importance, is that we as the township need to do much more. We need to do more to get to know each other, to understand each other and to appreciate each individual’s point of view.
I plan to put in place a Citizens Multicultural Advisory Committee in Jackson to do just that. Community leaders and residents, folks of different religions and ethnicities, will be able to come together and discuss amongst each other the truth; that by living together as one community we improve everyone’s quality of life.
The well-being of all can be one of the most important lessons and gifts we pass on to our children and grandchildren.
On the committee, I plan to ensure there is wide participation from interested parties. Naturally we are looking to involve our religious leaders from all faiths, law enforcement, first aid and fire representatives, local organizations, clubs and committees, as well as anyone else who has a genuine desire to contribute their knowledge and life experience to help Jackson continue to be a leader in community development and cultural understanding.
I am happy to say Township Council President Barry Calogero wholeheartedly supports this committee in helping Jackson better understand the needs of all those living in and around Jackson. We look forward to having our advisory committee’s inaugural meeting held expeditiously.
Individuals interested in volunteering for this committee may send an email to [email protected]
Mayor Michael Reina
Jackson