Politics & Government

How's Town Hall Doing? Goals Report Issued

An update on what has been done—and still needs to be done—on a list of priorities set by the Township Committee in May.

The Montville on Tuesday heard an update on how things are going with 26 goals set in May.

Among the updates provided by interim township administrator Adam Brewer:

  • Animal shelter construction is underway
  • The free Nixle alert system used by the police department could possibly be used as a way to communicate with residents instead of more expensive alternatives.
  • Proposed changes to the employee review system—including goal-setting and merit raises instead of across the board increases—have been delayed by the retirement of the previous township administrator.

Some Township Commitee members expressed concern that it could be a while before employee receive their reviews.

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The List
New animal shelter Under construction. Anticipated completion in 2012.

Shared Services/Outsourcing


Uniform Construction Code—Shared Service with Lincoln Park and Pequannock
Would need to restart talks with towns Outsource field/lawn maintenance Some lawn maintenance outsourced in 2011, 2012 Perform a bottom up "resource review" of departmental operations, starting with police, to determine service requirements.
Police Department study authorized Dec. 31 Succession planning for those nearing retirement, considering attrition and outsourcing. Draft document completed. Employee evaluations: phase in standardized performance reviews with goal setting and merit pay instead of across the board increases. Disrupted with the retirement of the previous administrator

Increase public access to government information and enhance communication with residents


Publish budget online Done Create an email newsletter for announcements Systems being explored, recommendation expected in early 2012 Make town website more interactive and user friendly Ongoing Create How-To pamphlets to held residents with frequent areas of concern, such as land use Posted to website for some departments under FAQ

Technology Committee


Establish IT infrastructure improvement plan Some upgrades ongoing. No written plan completed. Paperless meetings and a more open and transparent government. Paperless meeting implemented with Township Committee meeting documents posted on website Digitize and organize files, applications, forms and record keeping of data/monthly reports. Departmental reports distributed and stored electronically

Finance


Review and refine the budget approval process, including software upgrades. ADP software transition ongoing with additional upgrades in 2012 budget Formulate a three-year plan to comply with 2 percent cap, taking into account a $1,000 loss in state aid Long Term Financial Planning Committee to consider this Ensure township books are accurately kept and assets safeguarded Remains a priority during transitions in finance department Ensure township software is supported and all work is saved to network Police hardware upgrades ongoing. Expected completion in February. Centralize passwords in case of emergency Administrative rights allows access. Develop and implement procedures that insure all daily time and attendance records are accurate Ongoing Complete a full review of all township positions with recommended pay ranges based on current market conditions, factoring benefits For the Long Term Financial Planning Committee. Not accomplished. Land use office: streamline process, reduce fees, promote economic development Report pending from Land Use Review Committee Ensure all township personnel are adequately trained and aware of safety and security procedures Safety training ongoing. Safety committee meets quarterly. Ensure township is run in a highly efficient and effective manner—operate with zero scheduled overtime Always a priority

Review options for garbage pickup at townhouses and condos Not addressed New sleigh riding hill Not addressed Review fees. Fees reviewed annually by department heads. Water and sewer fee analysis begun December 2011.


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