2011 Annual Report
of the
Executive Director
William G. Dressel, Jr.

A community is defined as a unified body of individuals. That’s not something that comes into being automatically. It needs to be created—to be produced. It requires effort. And it demands commitment. But before a community is created, a common vision is needed. And that vision will be the product of unusual discernment and foresight.

In 1915, a small group of New Jersey Mayors clearly saw the need for immediate unity and the value in establishing a permanent institution to carry that common vision on into an uncertain future. This year’s 96th Annual Conference—Creating a Community with a Common Vision—provided further testimony to their wisdom.

The importance of sharing ideas and uniting to meet common problems is what led to the founding of this League. It is what has kept us together and what has made us strong. On behalf of the Officers, Executive Board and staff of your League of Municipalities, I want to thank each and every one of you for your willingness to teach, and to learn from, and to work with your colleagues all across the State.

Once again, in 2011, all of our 566 municipalities made that commitment to each other by voluntarily voting to unite together in the community known as the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. We consider that a high compliment and a great challenge. We renew our pledge to do all that we can to help you to make local government in New Jersey the best that it can be.

In our American democratic republic, the highest ideal of elected office is to serve, not to rule. Once again, over the past twelve months, I have seen hundreds of you embrace that ideal. You all are an inspiration to me and all the staff. On our behalf and on behalf of your fellow citizens, who may not often consider your generous contributions of time, talent and energy, I thank you.
It has been a challenging year. I now submit to you my report of our activities.

LEGAL ADVOCACY
This has been another busy year for the League legal staff. The League Staff Attorney and the League General Counsel monitor court decisions that may affect municipalities and bring important decisions to the attention of municipal officials. The Staff Attorney monitors proposed state regulations, and court rules and prepares comments on those with municipal impact as well as maintaining the Bureau of Municipal Information. He also responds to questions from municipal officials through the Legal Consultation Service. These queries cover a broad range of municipal subjects, including new laws like the recent pension reforms, and the application of older laws like the Open Public Meetings Act, the Open Public Records Act, and the Local Government Ethics Law, just to name a few.

The League considers requests from municipalities or municipal attorneys for intervention in court cases on behalf of specific local governments. The League General Counsel and the Amicus Curiae Committee consider requests. League policy provides for intervention in appropriate cases of broad municipal importance. The League does not generally participate in cases at the trial court level because cases involving broad municipal issues that justify League intervention as amicus curiae are more likely to be those pending in the Supreme Court and Appellate Division.

In addition to those cases that are reviewed by the Amicus Curiae Committee, there are cases where the officers or the Board of Directors of the League may authorize intervention or even may initiate litigation in order to protect municipal interests. To facilitate municipal participation in the League amicus program, the standards for League amicus intervention are now posted on our web site, under “Services,” We encourage municipalities facing litigation to consult them.

In the past year, the Staff Attorney advocated for municipal interests in front of the Appellate and Supreme Courts on a variety of issues.

Gannett v. Raritan, filed before the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, involves the Open Public Records Act. Specifically, whether a town was justified in charging a newspaper a special service charge, as permitted in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(d). After oral argument, in which the Staff Attorney participated, the Appellate Division remanded the case back to the Trial Court to hold an evidentiary hearing to establish whether the payroll company used by the town maintains the requested documents in the format requested by the newspaper. The League retains its amicus status, and anticipates filing further briefs if the case once again reaches the appellate level.

Keyport v. I.U.O.E., Local 68, filed before the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, involves Civil Service rules and labor negotiations. Specifically, the case involves whether Civil Service regulations preempt negotiations over layoffs. We are currently waiting for an oral argument date.

Seals v. County of Morris, filed before the New Jersey Supreme Court, involves whether an electric company bears any liability for an accident involving one of its poles, or whether the liability falls entirely on the public body responsible for maintenance of the roadway. The motion for amicus was filed on May 27, 2011, and the League is waiting for a decision.

The League is also involved with amicus intervention before the Council on Local Mandates. The Staff Attorney appeared before the Council to argue in support of Roxbury Township in their effort to have the portions of the Stormwater Regulations that exceed the federal requirements declared an unfunded mandate. The New Jersey DEP filed a motion to dismiss that the League and Roxbury opposed. We await the Council’s decision.

Recent legislation allows the League to bring complaints before the Council on behalf of two or more municipalities. We encourage municipalities to bring to our attention any unfunded mandates you face.

On the regulatory front, we have commented on several proposed regulations with municipal impact. The League encourages municipal officials to bring issues dealing with rules and regulations to the attention of the League. For example, the Staff Attorney submitted comments with regard to the State Agricultural Development Committee’s draft regulations to establish an agricultural management practices or standards for determining right-to-farm protections for the on-farm generation of solar energy.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES
We were still waiting for the management reforms that State leaders had promised in July of 2010 when Mayor Chuck Chiarello of Buena Vista Township was elected League President. Progress was being made in our efforts to advance Affordable Housing and COAH reforms. An impasse had developed on Arbitration and Civil Service reforms. Mandates relief was stalled. Pensions and Health Benefits reform was just mentioned in passing. And our members had passed a resolution to end the State’s diversion of municipal Energy Tax and CMPTRA funding to State budget balancing purposes. The results of DCA’s “Best Practices” inventory were being readied. And local officials were asking the Legislature to remove impediments to shared services.

Local officials all around our Garden State faced a new year, and new budgets, under the dark shadow of the new 2% levy cap. New Jersey Mayors and governing body members—New Jersey municipal professionals—New Jersey local public employees—those who had done so much, for their fellow citizens, with so little for so long, would now be asked to do better and more with less. And some help from the State wouldn’t hurt.

As always, the brains of our legislative activities were the League’s Legislative Committee. That Committee is composed of over 100 local officials, who come together one work day a month, 6 to 9 months of a year, to evaluate proposed State legislation and to guide our lobbying efforts. They come from all around the State to serve on one of our four Subcommittees—Taxation and Finance, Pensions and Elections, Land Use, Environment and Community Development or General Legislation. Each of those Subcommittees has an agenda of 10—15 bills, which it studies, debates and votes upon. Then, convened in the Committee of the Whole, they take final action on the recommendations of the Subcommittees.

The eyes, ears and, often, the voice of our efforts are our six registered legislative agents. In that category, I am joined by Senior Legislative Analysts Lori Buckelew, Mike Cerra and Jon Moran, Staff Attorney Matthew Weng, and Assistant Executive Director Mike Darcy. Together, we monitor the weekly meetings of Assembly and Senate Committees and provide the Committee Members with background on the League’s position on the bills under their consideration.

First, we listen to you. We meet you at the League Conference, we come to your county league sessions, you call or write the office, you send us resolutions you’ve adopted. Also, we read newspaper articles to learn your concerns and opinions and we meet you at various other functions and seminars. Finally, you respond to surveys that we send, from time to time.
The better we’ve been listening and the better we’ve paid attention, the better prepared we are to recognize proposed legislation that would present you with a problem or an opportunity.
Municipal leaders who give more than the usual amount of time and attention to State policy matters continued to be the heart of our legislative efforts.

Leading our efforts to end the State’s skim of Energy Tax and CMPTRA funding was League Second Vice President and East Windsor Mayor Janice S. Mironov. Her Statutory Funding Compliance Committee was co-chaired by Hamilton Township (Mercer) Mayor John Bencivengo. Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. of Orange chaired our Management Reform Committee with co-chair Mayor Wilda Diaz of Perth Amboy. In December, Mayor Hawkins was joined by Washington Township (Warren) Mayor Samir Elbassiouny, Mayor Mironov of East Windsor, the League’s Interlocal Services/Management Coordinator Greg Fehrenbach, Middletown Administrator Anthony Mercantante and West Orange CFO Edward Coleman to testify on shared services impediments and the impact of the 2% levy cap and the Reserve for Uncollected Taxes on local budgets.

Later that month, and soon after the first of our Winter Snow and Ice Events, we finally won a long-fought battle, when the Legislature passed and the Governor signed an Arbitration Reform bill. We have to thank League Immediate Past President and Clifton Mayor Jim Anzaldi, Chair of the League’s Management Reform Committee and Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl, Belmar Mayor Kenneth Pringle, Lower Township Mayor Michael Beck, League Attorney Brian Kronick and League Interlocal Services Coordinator Greg Fehrenbach for their efforts in bringing attention to this important issue by holding press conferences, testifying before various Legislative Committees and meeting with Legislators.

In January, the Legislature sent a flawed affordable housing reform bill to the Governor. After months of meetings with the sponsors and other key decision makers, by Mayors Janice S. Mironov of East Windsor, Patricia Flannery of Bridgewater and Colleen Mahr of Fanwood, and the hard work of countless others, the final bill would have actually increased municipal obligations. Governor Christie’s Conditional Veto sent the bill back to the Legislature, where gridlock has prevented action on important reforms, pending a decision by the State’s Supreme Court.

In February, Governor Christie proposed a State budget for the Fiscal Year that was to begin on July 1. In March, in both Trenton and in Blackwood, League President Mayor Chuck Chiarello expressed relief that Energy Tax, CMPTRA and PILOT funding would be held level for all municipalities. President Chiarello also told Legislators that, “Giving municipal property taxpayers all the relief they have coming to them needs to be a part of ‘the new normal.’”

Noting the proposed $10 Million cut in Transitional Aid and the proposed denial of locally generated sales tax revenues to Urban Enterprise Zone municipalities (for the second straight year), the League President stated, “Never has such assistance been needed more. Now is not the time for such cuts. We want to work with you, on these matters, as you move towards adoption of the State’s Appropriations Act over the next three months.”

Mayor Chairello commented on the problems created by the new 2% levy cap, coupled with the State’s failure to deliver on the promised ‘toolkit’ management reforms. He urged fast action on pension and benefits reforms, and asked for consideration of the problems caused by tax appeals and the reserve for uncollected taxes.

Our President also presented, to State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, the League’s case for progress towards a full distribution of Energy Tax Receipts to their intended municipal recipients. He further, explained some of the budgetary problems that the new cap has worsened, including the reserve for uncollected taxes and the tax appeal issue.

Also in March, Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler, Chair of the League’s Telecommunications Committee, took charge of our battle against S-2664, the “Market Competition Consumer Choice Act.” This bill would have removed consumer protections and denied municipalities important rights, with regards to cable television franchises. That battle continued throughout the Spring and on into the Summer.

When a bill that would penalize taxpayers who voted against a shared services proposal authored by the State’s Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission (LUARCC) was advanced, Mount Arlington Mayor and League First Vice President Art Ondish journeyed to Trenton to tell Legislators, “we must oppose any proposal which would, on the one hand, allow the voters to express their will; but, on the other hand, inform those voters that they will be punished, if their will does not comport with that of a majority of the appointed members of the LUARCC.”

And when bipartisan support began to coalesce around a bill that would finally produce pensions and health benefits reforms, Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. and Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz enthusiastically led our efforts to gain passage. East Brunswick Chief Financial Officer Lou Neely set a solid foundation for discussions that Mayors Hawkins and Diaz along with Cinnaminson Administrator Gerry Seneski had with Senate President Sweeney’s Office, Senator Beck and Governor’s Counsel. Mayors Hawkins and Diaz walked through throngs at a massive rally opposing the reforms, to reach the State House so that they could convince reluctant Legislators to support these vital reforms. They were joined by Mayors Tim McDonough of Hope, Jim Maley of Collingswood and Richard Gerbounka of Linden. Their efforts were successful.

The bipartisanship that made pension and benefits reform possible soon disappeared, as the annual state budget process approached the finish line in June. Relying on the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services’ revenue estimates, the Legislature made significant alterations to the Governor’s spending proposal.

First, the bill that passed both Houses would provide $50 million to municipalities with higher than average tax rates and/or lower than average property values, which have experienced an increase in crime rates. These funds could only be used for public safety, homeland security or other purposes that promote the safety and security of our citizens. With foreclosures up, collections down, property values ebbing and the demand for vital services rising—and forced to work within the confines of the inflexible 2% levy cap—this appropriation is timely and suitable to help meet real needs.

Second, the bill would return about $49 million from Sales Taxes collected in and promised to New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zone municipalities for economic redevelopment. The Urban Enterprise Zone Program was created in 1983 to foster economic redevelopment in designated municipalities, by encouraging the private sector to create jobs in those communities. As we indicated in our testimony to the Legislature, never has such assistance been needed more. Now is not the time for any cuts.

The next day, using his line-item veto powers, Governor Christie cut $900 million in spending for the FY ‘12 State Budget bill (S-4000). The cuts, produced by vetoes to hundreds of line items:

• Eliminated the $50 million Municipal Public Safety Aid Program, which was meant to help municipalities with higher than average tax rates and/or lower than average property values, which have experienced an increase in crime rates;

• Reduced Transitional Aid, which is meant to help municipalities deal with extraordinary difficulties, from $149 million to $10 million;

• Redirected to the State’s General Fund about $49 million from Sales Taxes collected in and promised to New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zone municipalities for economic redevelopment; and

• Cut per capita library aid in half, to $3.7 million.

At that point, we focused our efforts on reinstating funding for the Transitional Aid program. The $149 million appropriation for this purpose (down from $159 million in FY ’11) was part of the Governor’s original budget proposal. These funds are only available to municipalities anticipating difficulties making payments toward nondiscretionary or critical obligations including, but not limited to, debt service, contractual obligations, and public safety payroll.
Throughout the Summer, President Chiarello led our efforts on this matter.

The brains, the eyes, the ears, the voice and the heart are all important. But to get the real work done, we still need hands and feet. To get the real work done, we depend on local officials all around our Garden State, who take the time and make the extra effort to stay informed about what is happening, and what might happen in Trenton. We need Mayors, governing body members and key appointed officials to reach out to their State Senators and Assemblypersons. It is always and it is only the impact that they can have on their representative in their districts that can produce real progress in our State’s Capital.

We thank each and every one of you, who picked up a phone or dashed off an e-mail on an important municipal matter. We are grateful for each time you meet with your State Legislators on a vital public policy or trek to Trenton to be the voice for our municipalities. You have helped us to better represent you. You have helped yourselves to better govern. But most importantly, you have helped your neighbors in ways they will never know or appreciate. On their behalf, as well as our own, thank you.

FEDERAL RELATIONS
With the House of Representatives focused on deficit reduction, all federal aid programs for municipalities were threatened. But by far, the program that needed most of our attention was the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

Throughout the year, we benefited from the expertise provided by the National League of Cities. The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping local leaders build better communities. Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, NLC serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages and towns it represents. More than 1,600 municipalities of all sizes pay dues directly to NLC and actively participate as leaders and voting members in the organization.

The National League of Cities provides numerous benefits to its network of state municipal leagues and direct member cities. NLC advocates for municipal government in Washington, D.C. through full-time lobbying and grassroots campaigns. It provides programs and services that give local leaders the tools and knowledge to better serve their communities. It keeps leaders informed of critical issues that affect municipalities and warrant action by local officials And NLC also partners with state leagues to supplement resources and strengthen the voice of local government in the Nation’s capitol and all state capitols.

In January, as the President prepared to deliver his annual State of the Union Address, and completed preparations for his next Budget Address, to be delivered mid-February, the staff of the National League of Cities (NLC) advised us that serious discussions were taking place inside the Obama Administration regarding the proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2012. Washington sources indicated that the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was facing a possible cut of up to 25 percent (which would have equated to $1 billion) in the President’s Budget.

The White House held a conference call for the new Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew to hear from several mayors on key priorities. During the call, the mayors stressed the importance of fully funding CDBG at $4 billion as the President pledged to do several years ago. While the Administration did not mention specific cuts on the call, it was stated then that all programs are on the table for discussion and possible cuts.

In response to this news, we asked New Jersey Mayors for help in pushing for full funding of CDBG in the President’s budget by contacting the White House to stress the positive impact this program continues to have in your communities on job creation and other quality of life indicators.

In February, the White House invited the leaders of the National League of Cities (NLC), the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), and the National Association of Counties (NACo) to participate in a conference call to provide a “heads up” on an op-ed that was to be published in the New York Times on Sunday by Jacob Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget on cuts that would be included in the President’s FY 2012 Budget proposal. Specifically, they wanted these groups to know that the budget included a 7.5% cut ($300 million) in CDBG funds. The only other program cuts that were mentioned on the phone and in the op-ed were a 50% reduction in Community Service Block Grant funds and a 25% cut in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The local officials on the call expressed their strong disappointment with the President’s proposed reduction in CDBG funds. The three local government organizations agreed on a strategy to protect this program, which is of fundamental importance to local governments.
Following the lead of NLC, your New Jersey League of Municipalities asked League Past President and Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage and League First Vice President and Mount Arlington Mayor Art Ondish to co-chair a Task Force to work with our State’s Congressional Delegation to protect this crucial funding.

All agree that reducing the federal budget deficit over the next several years is vital to the country’s and our communities’ fiscal well-being. However, we also know that cuts in the CDBG program will have little real impact on that goal. Unfortunately, the converse is true for local economies of municipalities. The impact of this cut on thousands of projects and programs at the neighborhood level, and the jobs supported by those projects, would be very real.

By late February, the House of Representatives had already voted on a 62.5% cut of the CDBG Program. Therefore, Mayors Bollwage and Ondish asked mayors to contact their Congressional representatives in an advisory capacity, and convey how essential CDBG is to our communities, our state and nation.

In April, the House of Representatives’ leadership released G.R. 1473, the compromise agreement that averted a government shutdown. The bill included funding for CDBG at $3.34 billion. The impact of these cuts will be felt in municipalities all around our State—and all around the Nation. However, given that original House bill (H.R. 1) had sought to cut CDBG to $1.5 billion, the only ‘good news’ is that things could have been worse.

As Spring turned to Summer, negotiations in Washington on the debt limit/deficit reduction package posed further threats to CDBG funding. Our Task Force, under the bipartisan leadership of Mayors Bollwage and Ondish, continued to work to protect this vital economic development tool.

BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL INFORMATION
The League offers a consultation service as part of its Bureau of Municipal Information. All members can access this service for free by telephone or email. Our staff attorney, Matthew Weng, who heads the Bureau, provides municipal officials and employees with knowledge and analysis. If you have an issue and you want an informal consultation with an attorney knowledgeable in municipal law, contact Matthew Weng at the League, extension 137, or at mweng@njslom.com *Please note that the intent of this service is to provide a consultation and not legal advice. If you need legal advice, your first call should be to your municipal attorney.

On the League’s website, the Bureau’s web page provides links to relevant sites for those interested in timely information on local laws and issues. You can find the Bureau at www.njslom.org/bureau_mun_info.html. You can also find various resources and informational centers, as well as links to informational websites such as descriptions of New Jersey’s forms of government. The resources that we offer are continually being expanded and improved.

The Bureau maintains the largest collection of ordinances in the State. We are currently in the process of improving our ordinance information available on the web. If members cannot find the sample ordinance online, our members may obtain additional ordinances via telephone or e-mail.

The Bureau has expanded its offerings of publications available to our members throughout the last several years. These publications are updated regularly. The Staff Attorney recently updated the guide to the Open Public Records Act as well as our guide to Environmental Laws and Regulations. The full list of publications is available on the League’s web site (www.njslom.org/Publications.html).

The League’s Grant Resource Center continues to be an excellent online resource for State and Federal grant research. Members may contact the League via telephone or email with grant questions, or consult with our Grants Advisory Service, free of charge. Each month, the Grant Resource Center highlights a new monthly article on a topic pertinent to grants in the State’s current environment. The site also features links to grants with upcoming application deadlines. In just the past few months, the Center has provided our members with information on grants available concerning energy efficiency, small libraries, and youth in custody. The Center archives feature monthly articles in the Grant Seeker’s Toolkit for future reference. The Center also includes a Grants News & Information page, which is updated regularly to publicize current grant news and announcements.

The Interlocal Advisory Center is an online ready-reference center for interlocal service agreements and joint consolidation, and includes links to sample shared service agreements, New Jersey’s interlocal statutes, and various other references you may want to review during preparation and implementation of agreements in your municipality.

In addition, the Center offers articles outlining successful collaborations in other municipalities and a general consultation service with a contract professional that has first-hand experience in consolidation agreements.

The League, in conjunction with the New Jersey Municipal Management Association, continues its successful Recruitment Advisory Service. The service offers guidance on the best methods for local officials to accomplish their recruitment goals and avoid some of the pitfalls that can occur during the transition period between Administrators/Managers in a municipality. This service does not make specific candidate recommendations or recruitments, but it provides information and reference materials, as well as a consultation with a retired manager to discuss the overall recruitment process and answer questions.

The above resource centers are coordinated by League Staff Member Taran Samhammer, Bureau Services and Research Coordinator for the Bureau of Municipal Information. Taran updates these research tools on a regular basis, and is available to assist communities in arranging for the utilization of our consultation services.

The Bureau also runs a number of other specialized services available to our membership. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ethics Resource Center
• Cable TV Resources
• Purchasing Resource Center
• Fire and Police Arbitration Center
• Aging & Senior Resource Center
• Web Advisory Service

To visit the Bureau of Municipal Information’s website, visit
www.njslom.org/bureau_mun_info.html.

NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALITIES
New Jersey Municipalities, the League’s award winning magazine, is the state’s primary resource and forum for elected and appointed municipal leaders. With over 9,000 readers and a vast pass-along readership, the magazine has seen several improvements this year.

With a large selection of articles, New Jersey Municipalities’ monthly issues provide the news and information you need to govern in your local community. Members of the state and national legislatures also read the magazine to keep abreast of municipal issues.

In writing for the magazine, League members share their views and ideas with a wide range of managers and policymakers. I’m happy to report that for the fourth year in a row a record number of New Jersey mayors submitted articles this year.

In addition to your articles, New Jersey Municipalities includes a mix of articles by state commissioners and other experts, as well as informative columns, opinion pieces and advertising by some of the state’s leading providers of products and services.

• Nine issues of New Jersey Municipalities were published in 2011.
  
  
• The number and quality of articles submitted continues to increase. This year the average page count was 96 pages. The magazine includes articles that feature large, small, rural and urban communities in all parts of the state. Our diverse offerings and increased use of shorter articles has made the magazine even more useful to busy leaders.
  
  
• We’ve expanded our use of color photographs and improved both cover and interior design. The changes make the publication more accessible and enjoyable.
  
  
• We’ve added a new column, “Getting the Most from Your League,” to help our members make the best use of the League’s many services. Other monthly columns include “Labor Relations News and Views,” “Legislative Update,” “Washington Watch,” “Legal Q and A,” and “As I See It,” “Garden STATEments,” and “Under the Gold Dome” and the occasional columns “Affiliate’s Forum,” “Fiscal Focus,” “Purchasing Pointers,” “Grants Corner” and “Sustainability Update.” The columns are among the most read pages of each issue. “Under the Gold Dome,” by Jim McQueeny received the 2010 First Place award recognition from the Garden State Journalists Association.

The New Jersey State League of Municipalities is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible operations. We print on Sappi McCoy Gloss 100lb Text (cover) and Sappi Flo Gloss 70lb Text, industry leading environmentally responsible papers. McCoy and Flo contain 10 percent post consumer waste and FSC chain of custody certification.

As always, we welcome your calls, ideas, and articles for our premier publication. Contact the magazine’s Managing Editor Kyra Duran at (609) 695-3481 ext. 123 or NJM@njslom.com to contribute an article or to learn more about our premier publication.

TRAINING AND IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS
New Jersey Municipal leaders face tough challenges in providing good government and service to constituents and citizens. League Professional Development Seminars provide elected officials as well as municipal and county personnel with a great resource. Every year the League holds a series of half and full day seminars by knowledgeable speakers on timely and key topics, providing up-to-date information to help solve problems and clarify legislation for better governance. The venues provide an environment conducive to providing a true learning experience.

The objective of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities is to present seminars to broaden, deepen, and increase knowledge or skills of municipal personnel in various professions while collaborating with Affiliate Groups. Approved continuing education seminars provide many municipal professionals the opportunity to renew their respective state license. The League has expanded its sponsorship agreements and works cohesively with numerous accreditation bodies representing 10 government licensees including Continuing Legal Education (CLE).

In 2010/2011, the League offered 23 professional development seminars, educating more than 2,000 attendees. Some of those seminars were:

• “Collective Negotiations and Interest Arbitration”
• “Ethics and Conflicts of Interest”
• “The Federal Stimulus Act and Grants”
• “Executive Leadership for Mayor’s and Council Presidents”
• “Newly Elected”
• “Interest Arbitration Reform: The 2% Cap, the Rocket Docket, and More”
• “19th Annual Legislative Day”
• “E-mail Retention and Security”
• “Budget Audits and Updates”
• “Family Medical Leave Act and ADA Compliance”
• “Police and Fire Department Consolidation”
• “Personnel Manuals and Policies Primer”
• “Review of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA)”

Visit the League’s website at www.njslom.org and bookmark the Calendar of Events for a listing of upcoming Professional Development Seminars in FY: 2011/2012. For additional information contact Danielle Holland, our Program Meetings Specialist, at (609) 695-3481 ext. 118 or by email at dholland@njslom.com.

LABOR RELATIONS ADVISORY SERVICE
The League’s Labor Relations Advisory Service is conducted by the League’s Labor Relations Counsel, Brian Kronick, and his colleague Joseph Hannon of Genova, Burns & Giantomasi.

Brian Kronick and Joseph Hannon are available to respond to a broad range of public employer labor and employment law questions as a telephone or email service of the League. Inquiries to the League Labor Advisory Service over the years have included new issues like the new interest arbitration reforms and the 2% cap on awards under the 45 day rocket docket, furloughs and temporary layoffs, health benefit and pension reforms, and perennial problems municipalities face including police and fire interest arbitration and collective negotiations, Public Employment Relations Commission unfair practices and representation matters, Shared Service Issues, Civil Service issues, FMLA and NJFLA issues, FLSA and wage and hour issues, Americans with Disabilities Act issues, and Equal Employment Opportunity and New Jersey Law Against Discrimination issues. You may contact Brian at bkronick@genovaburns.com or Joe at jhannon@genovaburns.com.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE
For 96 years, local officials have gathered annually in the pursuit of good local government. The three-day Annual Conference remains a critical mainstay in the portfolio of services provided by the League. By serving 18,000 people, it is the single largest local government event in the United States. Offering hundreds of exhibits showing products and services to aid municipalities, it is a central point for learning what is out there to meet local governments’ needs.

Pre-Registration, at just $50, is the most affordable way for municipal officials to gain new solutions to both the perennial issues and the changing challenges. Some of the features of this year’s conference will be:

• 80 League Educational sessions and more than 50 additional sessions produced by affiliated municipal professional associations.
  
  
• Training for newly elected governing body members.
  
  
• Several sessions focused on ethics training. New technical skills and new technologies creating new efficiencies.
  
  
• Information on Affordable housing; planning; grants and understanding initiatives coming from State government.

The conference is also a chance to acknowledge local officials’ dedication to public service and the work of their colleagues in municipal government across the state.

The 2011 Annual Conference provides all these opportunities while continuing to charge the lowest registration rate of any municipal league in the country.

NJLM EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
In 2011 the League of Municipalities Education Foundation once again provided educational programs. Those programs not only improve the institution of local government but enhanced the knowledge and benefit of all of the citizens of New Jersey.

This year, the Educational Foundation held education programs, supported literacy efforts, secured grants and continued to publish its “Friends of Local Government” white paper series.

We published White papers on “The Importance of Leadership in Challenging Economic Times” by Triad Associates, “Local Law Enforcement Strategies: Technology and New Management Models” by Jose Cordero, former Director of Public Safety for East Orange and former Director, Law Enforcement Strategy, Office of the Attorney General, “Latest Economic Trends and the State of the Economy” by Dr. James W. Hughes, Dean Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, “The New Legislative Map and its Implication” by Patrick Murray, Director Monmouth University Polling Institute.

For the third consecutive year the Mayor’s Book Club was conducted with great success as a pilot program involving eight municipalities and their school districts in Morris, Warren, Hunterdon and Essex Counties involving over 400 students. The program was a collaborative effort initiated by the Mayors Book Club Chair and League Past President Tim McDonough Mayor of Hope with Dr. Barbara Jayne Lewthwaite, President of Centenary College in the summer of 2010 and was rolled out in the winter of 2011. The towns involved were: Hope, Mount Arlington, Washington Borough, Boonton, Byram Lakes, Stanhope, Frenchtown and Lambertville. During the year Sandra Genduso and Fran Congdon, of the Centenary College Education Department developed the reading criteria and communicated with the Schools and the Mayors on the program. The NJLM Educational Foundation provided the start up monies from a grant from Verizon for the purchase of the books for the Mayors and the first graders. On May 4, a Literacy Day was held at Centenary College for the participants. A children’s author spoke and a children’s play was performed by the Centenary Theater group. In June the Mayors presented certificates to the participating schools along with a check for $1,000 to those who accomplished the reading goals of the program. In late summer Mayor McDonough and League Executive Director Bill Dressel were beginning to discuss plans to continue the Mayors Book Club program in South Jersey and discussions took place with Mayor Leo McCabe of Glassboro and the Education Department at Rowan University. It is the goal of the Mayors Book Club to offer as many programs as possible across the State.

On Wednesday March 30 the NJLM Educational Foundation held an event to help communities find ways of maintaining local law enforcement during a time of shrinking resources-both human and financial. More than 80 municipal officials, community leaders and public safety professionals attended “Local Law Enforcement Strategies: Technology and Management Models” at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute in Mahwah. The keynote address was by Jose Cordero, former Director, Law Enforcement Strategy, Office of the Attorney General; and former Director of Public Safety, East Orange who stressed the point that new approaches are needed to do the same level of policing-with less. Cordero was joined by experts from Bergen County Police; systems security experts; NJ Association of Chiefs of Police and research from the Government Efficiency Movement. The program was made possible by a Grant from Verizon New Jersey.

On July 8, The Foundation presented, “Month 25 of Economic Recovery: Where are we and where are we going?” at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University. The Program, examined the recovery from the Great Recession from national, New York regional and New Jersey perspectives and explored the statewide and local fiscal impacts and how we do business going forward.

The Educational Foundation continues to secure and administer grants in support of sustainability efforts. Almost $200,000 in grants is being administered from such funders as Wal-Mart Corp, BPU and the others. During the year the Educational Foundation played an important role in the formation of a new 501c3 entity that would enhance and improve the goals and mission of Sustainable Jersey. A discussion on this is found elsewhere in this report.

MAYORS COMMITTEE FOR A GREEN FUTURE
The 11-member Mayors Committee for a Green Future (MCGF) is helping to lead and inspire New Jersey’s sustainability agenda. The committee continues to promote greening in New Jersey municipalities through education, outreach, leadership, and support for municipal programs and practices that protect the environment. The MCGF is led by Chair Pam Mount of Lawrence Township in Mercer County.

The MCGF, as a subcommittee of the NJLM, is one of the three founding partners of the Sustainable Jersey municipal certification program. The MCGF meets monthly and serves as the advisory board which tests and gives frank advice on what works and what does not at the local level for Sustainable Jersey. Representatives of the MCGF regularly speak at events across the state. The group promotes the program to mayors, community groups and Green Teams that need an extra push to register or make progress. In August 2010, the MCGF held two networking events to promote Sustainable Jersey and provide a forum for towns interested in sustainability efforts. The events were held in Sparta and Woodbine. An additional networking event was held in July 2011 in Lakewood.

Sustainable Jersey was launched in 2009 and now has over half of New Jersey’s municipalities (61% or 349 towns across all 21 counties) registered and working on becoming Sustainable Jersey certified. Nearly 75% of the New Jersey’s population lives in registered/certified Sustainable Jersey communities. By supporting community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve environmental equity, Sustainable Jersey is empowering New Jersey towns to build a better world for future generations. The program has distributed over half a million dollars to New Jersey communities to support an estimated 1,500 actions taken “on the ground” to make communities more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous.

Seventy-four towns have achieved certification. These include rural towns and urban communities, led by both republicans and democrats—all with a common goal to make sustainable progress while saving money. Registrations and certification applications for the 2011 certification year are coming in now, and the program continues to grow.

At a sold-out luncheon at the 2010 NJLM Annual Conference, over 300 people helped Sustainable Jersey celebrate its success, recognize its funders and parcel out awards and kudos to the towns that had registered, been certified and accomplished the most in the second year. Woodbridge Township, the City of Summit and Bordentown City accepted the 2010 Sustainability Champion awards for the towns that achieved the most Sustainable Jersey certification points in their respective population category. Sustainability Champion awards were given in three population categories: Woodbridge Township (large), City of Summit (medium) and Bordentown City (small).

In June 2011, Sustainable Jersey announced that $175,000 is available to towns through the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program. The total contribution of the grant program over three years is $595,000. The 2011 Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program funded by Walmart will award New Jersey municipalities with one of the three (3) $25,000 grants, eight (8) $10,000 grants or twenty (20) $1,000 grants for sustainability projects. The deadline for submittal was July 22, 2011. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help local governments make progress toward a sustainable future in general and specifically the Sustainable Jersey certification.

Moving forward, the MCGF will identify and promote the highest-priority sustainability issues. As Sustainable Jersey transitions into a 501 (c) (3) corporation in the coming year, the MCGF will evolve its role and purpose. The group is committed to helping municipalities take real steps that will lead to a protected environment, a stronger economy, and a better New Jersey overall. Expectations are high that many more towns will achieve certification in 2011. With new program features, improved actions, a refined point structure and an active schedule of how-to workshops and trainings, the goal is to fully support and provide resources for municipalities to make progress. For more information visit: www.SustainableJersey.com.

LEAGUE COMMITTEES
The League’s Trenton staff carries out a full agenda of activities in translating League policy objectives on many fronts, but policy itself is made by over 250 mayors, other elected officials and appointed officials who serve on numerous standing and ad hoc committees.
The committees and committee chairs are:

— Executive Board: CHUCK CHIARELLO, Mayor, Buena Vista; President, New Jersey State League of Municipalities
— Legislative Committee:
WILLIAM J. KEARNS, JR., League General Counsel
KRISTINA HADINGER, League Associate Counsel; Co-chairs
— Conference Resolutions Committee: ARTHUR R. ONDISH, Mayor, Mount Arlington; League First Vice President; Chair
— Nominating Committee: JAMES ANZALDI, Mayor, Clifton; Immediate Past President; Chair
— Pension Study Committee: L. MASON NEELY,
Finance Director, East Brunswick; Chair
— League Educational Foundation: ARTHUR R. ONDISH, Mayor, Mount Arlington; League First Vice President
— Mayors Committee for a Green Future: PAMELA H. MOUNT, Committeewoman, Lawrence Township (Mercer); Chair
— Heavy Truck Task Force:
DAVID M. DELVECCHIO, Mayor, Lambertville;
League Past President; Co-Chair;
RONALD M. SWOREN, Mayor, Frenchtown;
Member, League Executive Board, Co-Chair
— Emergency Management Task Force; TIMOTHY C.
MCDONOUGH, Mayor, Hope; League Past President; Chair
— Land Use Law Drafting Committee: STUART KOENIG, Esq., League Senior Assistant Counsel; Chair
— League Economic Development Task Force:
M. JAMES MALEY, JR., Mayor, Collingswood; Chair
— League Legal Committee on Affordable Housing: EDWARD BUZAK, Esq.; Chair
— League School Tax Reform Committee:
GERALD TARANTOLO, Mayor Eatontown; Member, League Executive Board; Chair
GARY PASSANANTE, Mayor, Somerdale; Member
League Executive Board; Vice Chair
— Council on Affordable Housing Study Committee:
JANICE S. MIRONOV, Mayor, East Windsor;
League Second Vice President; Chair
PATRICIA FLANNERY, Mayor, Bridgewater;
Member, League Executive Board; Co-Chair
— Impact Fee Study Committee: EDWIN W. SCHMIERER, Esq., Attorney, Princeton Township; Chair
— Telecommunications Study Committee: BRIAN C. WAHLER, Mayor, Piscataway; Member, League Executive Board; Chair
— League Management Reform Committee:
ELDRIDGE HAWKINS, JR., Mayor, Orange; Chair
WILDA DIAZ, Mayor, Perth Amboy, Co-Chair
— League Statutory Funding Compliance Committee:
JANICE S. MIRONOV, Mayor, East Windsor;
League Second Vice President; Chair
— League Liaison to NJ Organ and Tissue Sharing Network: SHARON ROBINSON-BRIGGS, Mayor, Plainfield;
Member, League Executive Board; Chair
— Community Development Block Grant Task Force:
J. CHRISTIAN BOLLWAGE, Mayor, Elizabeth;
League Past President
ARTHUR R. ONDISH, Mayor, Mount Arlington;
League First Vice President; Co-Chairs
— Civil Service Reform Study Committee: TIMOTHY GORDON, Business Administrator, Milburn Township; Chair
— State Mandates Relief Committee: JOHN BENCIVENGO, Mayor, Hamilton Township (Mercer)
ANTHONY PERSICHILLI, Mayor, Pennington Borough,
Co-Chairs

*The following individuals represented the League on state-wide committees:
— RAYMOND T. BOLANOWSKI, First Assistant City Attorney, Elizabeth—Public Employment Relations Appeal Board
— CHUCK CHIARELLO, Mayor, Buena Vista; League President; Public Works Advisory Board, Department of
Community Affairs
— DAVID M. DELVECCHIO, Mayor, Lambertville; League Past President; Delaware River Basin Watershed Advisory Council
— WILLIAM G. DRESSEL, JR., Executive Director, State League of Municipalities; New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, Board Member; D.A.R.E. New Jersey, Board Member; New Jersey Sharing Network, Board of Trustees Member; Downtown New Jersey, Inc., Board Member; Friends of the State House, Trustee; Family Readiness Council, New Jersey National Guard, Member; Employer Support of the National Guard, Member
— CHERYL FULLER, Former Manager, Englewood;
Public Employee Relations Committee, Member
— WILLIAM J. KEARNS, JR., League General Counsel;
State Supreme Court’s Committee on Court Security, Member; Attorney General’s Municipal Prosecutors
Oversight Committee, Member; Local Government
Ethics Task Force, Member
— ROBERT V. KISER, Engineer, Princeton Township;
Technical Advisory Committee for NJ Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Master Plan
— CLIFFORD R. LUNDIN, Former Mayor, Hopatcong;
Water Quality Management Advisory Board
— PHYLLIS MARCHAND, League Past President;
NJ Site Improvement Advisory Board; Automated Traffic System Fund Study Committee; Tobacco Age-of-Sale Task Force, Member; Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission, Member; Mayors Committee for a Green Future, Member
— PAUL J. MATACERA, League Past President;
New Jersey Solid Waste Advisory Council;
League Educational Foundation, Trustee
— M. BOYD MILLER, Councilman, Brielle;
New Jersey Water Supply Advisory Council,
Department of Environmental Protection
— JOSEPH P. MONZO, Chief Finance Officer, South Brunswick; New Jersey Tax and Fiscal Policy Study Commission
— PAMELA H. MOUNT, Committeewoman, Lawrence
Township (Mercer); Clean Air Council, Member
— L. MASON NEELY, Finance Director, East Brunswick; Department of Environmental Protection Clean
Water Council
— ARTHUR R. ONDISH, Mayor, Mount Arlington;
League First Vice President; Public Works Advisory Board, Department of Community Affairs
— JOEL SHAIN, ESQ., Attorney, Monroe Township
(Middlesex); League Representative, Board of Public
Utilities Committee on Development of Rules for
Municipal Electric Aggregation
— MATTHEW U. WATKINS, Manager, Clifton;
Public Employee Relations Commission, Member
MEMBERSHIP AND FINANCE

The League is completing its 96th year of service to the municipalities of New Jersey. Our membership currently includes all 566 municipalities in the State of New Jersey.

Dues support approximately 18% of the League’s overall operations.  Remaining revenue is raised by various League activities and services.  The formula for calculating dues is attached along with the amount of dues paid by each member for 2012.

2011/2012 REVISED BUDGET

2010/2011 Audit Actual Revenues & Expenditures for NJLM Fiscal Year End June 2011