In this week’s edition, Township Clerk and Registrar Diane Malloy penned the following Mayor’s Message.
As Harrison Township’s Municipal Clerk, I am proud to wear a number of hats during the course of my duties, including Secretary to the Governing Body. As such, I thought I might provide you with some insight on how the Mayor and Township Committee work to serve you, the residents.
Harrison Township operates under a “Township Committee” form of government and as such, our governing body consists of five members, each elected to their position to serve a three-year term.
At the beginning of each year, the governing body assembles for their annual “Reorganization Meeting” and appoint a mayor to serve for a one-year term. In addition to the appointment of the mayor, the governing body will appoint a variety of municipal officials including township staff, professionals and board and commission members.
The governing body of every municipality in the state of New Jersey operates under the Open Public Meetings Act. The Open Public Meetings Act ensures that any action taken by the township or the governing body, including authorization of purchases as minuscule as a roll of tape, must be done during a public meeting. Harrison Township’s Mayor and Township Committee meet primarily on the first and third Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Court Room.
During a typical meeting, the governing body will follow an approved agenda which includes approval of previous meeting minutes and expenditures of funds, as well as two “Privilege of Floor” sessions, during which members of the public are invited and encouraged to speak. The governing body will also consider any Ordinances or Resolutions presented to them in order to establish law or set policy in the township.
During the course of a meeting, Mayor Manzo will often provide those present with an update on any local projects affecting the township, such as the Richwood Project, the MOTUS (Rowan University) Project, and our new hospital.
Harrison Township is fortunate to have a governing body that goes above and beyond what the law requires, in order to keep residents informed and to maintain transparency in government. If you haven’t discovered it already, visit http://HarrisonTwp.US/Government-2/Harrison-Township-Committee/ where you will not only find an email address for each member of the Township Committee, but their personal cell phone numbers as well. Your governing body is here to serve you and welcomes your feedback.
Did you know that Harrison Township has several boards and commissions that are made up of volunteers who simply aspire to serve their community?
Each board and commission holds at least one monthly meeting, and each meeting is open to the public. Click the “Boards and Commissions” tab on the township’s website for information on each of our committees, including their scheduled meeting dates and times. Residents are encouraged to attend and to get involved.
If you think you might be interested in serving on one of our boards or commissions, or if you require assistance with any township matter, please feel free to contact me directly at DMalloy@HarrisonTwp.US or (856) 478–4112.
