Letter To The Editor By Submitted by Mayor Doug Tomson And Committeewoman Gloria McCauley

Submitted by Mayor Doug Tomson and Committeewoman Gloria McCauley

Mayor Doug Tomson and Committeewoman Gloria McCauley believe strongly that it is critical that Hillsborough’s Township Committee is sensitive and responsive to the needs of the community. They also believe strongly that residents should have complete unfettered access to the business of their local government. That’s why Hillsborough’s open, accessible and transparent operation truly sets it apart from other municipalities.

One example of our openness and accessibility is our Planning Board. Because Mayor Doug Tomson and Committeewoman Gloria McCauley have served on the Board, they can personally attest to the open nature of that process. Residents receive amble notification of projects and when new zoning is proposed, Hillsborough has traditionally enforced notification rules that far exceed the minimum requirements established by the State. All throughout the process, residents are encouraged to provide input so that all final decisions produce the community benefits we all fully expect, if not demand.

An example of our transparency is the policy that eliminates no-bid contracting and our strict adherence to a fair and open competitive bidding process for professional contracts. This policy results in our Township receiving formal and comprehensive bids on all of the most relevant publicly advertised requests for proposal (i.e., RFPs). We also undertake a rigorous evaluation methodology for bids, which ensures we receive the best possible quality for all services put out to bid.

Open government also means providing residents with as much information as possible. And so, with residents keenly in mind, the Township website was redesigned earlier this year, making it easier to navigate. The website now provides easy access to public documents, archived videos of our meetings, and various other important news and announcements. You can also view all meeting minutes here (http://www.ecode360.com/documents/pub/HI0602/Minutes/?)

Under the new “eGov” website menu, residents have access to on-line forms and all sorts of information, from the recycling schedule to the GIS map. In addition, ordinances are available to see at any time and there are links to our complete municipal codes. We’ve also leveraged state-of-the-art technology to better distribute township information, including real-time updates and announcements via the new Honeywell Instant Alert system. Our effective award-winning e-newsletter is also extremely popular with residents.

Open government also requires easy access to all of municipal departments and employees. Many of our departments now have evening hours so that all residents can meet with our employees in the most convenient way.

With all these enhancements, it has never been easier for Hillsborough residents to keep up with their local government, community programs and events and access municipal departments and employees.

Open, accessible and transparent government does not happen by accident. It takes a certain type of leadership and commitment that Mayor Doug

Tomson and Committeewoman Gloria McCauley, and the entire Township committee are obligated and honored to provide.

With all that in mind, we remain committed to providing a standard for openness, accessibility, and transparency In Hillsborough that is second to none.