Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Vision 2020

The following resolution which I authored was passed last Tuesday by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. It represents our effort to look beyond the next budget to the long term health and welfare of our county and her residents.  We are asking our Divisions to look at what services will be required, and how best to deliver them so we may budget and plan appropriately.  Fiscal conservatism should concern itself with not just today's taxpayers but future tax payers.


Whereas, Hunterdon County has rightly spent the last five years focusing weathering the economic recession without diminishing critical services cutting spending by over $10 million, reducing the amount of money raised by taxation by over $6 million and reducing its workforce, mainly through attrition, by over 20%, and
Whereas, the Board of Chosen Freeholders credits and thanks our employees for their dedication and continued commitment to the residents of the County, and
Whereas, Hunterdon County will face great burdens on infrastructure and services in the years to come, and
Whereas, to properly prepare for the future needs of our County, its residents, businesses, other public institutions, proper forecasting and preparations must be made so as to meet these future needs, and
Whereas, each and every Division of the County will play a critical role in meeting these future needs,
Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved, that every Division working in concert with their Appointing Authority, Department Managers, Advisory Board(s), Clients and Constituents, develop a scoping document spelling out the future statutory and discrectionary requirements of that Division to meet the needs of our residents in 2020 and beyond, and
Be It Further Resolved, that these Visions of Hunterdon County in 2020 and beyond be forwarded to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for our use in the proper development of future budgets, capital budgets, durable goods and infrastructure purchases and long range planning for the betterment of our County’s nearly 129,000 residents