The Township of Livingston Celebrates Public Service Recognition Week

At tonight’s Township Council meeting, the spotlight will be on Township employees in honor of Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) which is celebrated May 6-12, 2011.

Streets are patrolled, water flows from the taps, fires are extinguished, roads are repaired, vaccines are administered, laws are enforced, licenses are issued, care is given, budgets are balanced, leaves are collected, roads and drainage improvements are designed, safety inspections performed, programs are held, sewage is treated, snow is plowed, and assistance is provided in countless ways by over 275 employees in the Township of Livingston every day.

In 2012, we are highlighting the Comptroller’s Office as an example of the valuable work of our public employees. Supervised by Township Comptroller Sue Strande, this division of the Finance Department consists of Judy Reimer, Assistant Comptroller; Helen Corrado, Account Clerk; and Administrative Assistant Kasey Campbell.

Although not generally visible to the public, the Comptroller’s Office performs a number of vital functions to ensure that all Township departments have the financial resources they need to do their jobs. They do this by prudently managing and accounting for nearly $200 million of cash flow; processing payroll for all Township employees, which involves issuing over 12,000 paychecks per year, as well as administering a host of payroll deductions and health benefits changes; processing over 6,000 purchase orders and payments per year for goods and services; ensuring that debt service payments are made on a timely basis; providing financial information for the municipal budget and the long-term financial plan; and accurately recording, summarizing and reporting all of the Township’s financial transactions. And they do this while complying with a myriad of Federal and State regulations. 

“The work that Sue, Judy, Helen and Kasey do every day provides crucial administrative support to the entire organization, contributes to the efficient delivery of services to our residents, promotes complete accountability for public resources, and helps to increase revenues and control costs,” said Township Manager Michele Meade. “The high level of responsibility and the commitment to meticulous accuracy that this team exhibits is not only evident in Town Hall every day, but to outside professionals as well. The work and records of the Comptroller’s staff are subject to an intensive review by independent outside auditors each year and, for the last two consecutive years, the annual audit has concluded with no negative comments or recommendations concerning this office. This is an outstanding achievement considering the volume and complexity of the financial transactions, assets and records entrusted to this office.”

They are just one example of the dozens of highly productive and competent work teams that provide services for the Township of Livingston.  I am proud to be associated with them.” 

Celebrated since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) is a nationwide public education campaign honoring the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees and insure that our government is the best in the world.  Each year, the President and Congress designate the first full week of May as PSRW and activities are held nationwide and around the world in celebration of public employees who put service above self. 

Livingston began its annual celebration of PSRW in 2009 in order to highlight the important work that our local public employees do for the citizens of the community every day.