The Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders has been taking its act on the road for monthly public meetings. Last week, the show arrived in Mt. Laurel, and a full house of Burlington County residents attended.
For freeholder director Joe Donnelly, the larger crowds were the goal of the traveling meetings.
“We want to make sure that all of our residents have the opportunity to be a part of county government,” Donnelly said. “Taking meetings to different parts of the county gives folks an opportunity to attend meetings in their hometowns.”
Residents from all across Burlington County, including Mt. Laurel as well neighboring Medford and nearby Shamong and Southampton, filled the courtroom at the municipal building for the meeting on Aug. 14.
As part of the transparency plan that Donnelly initiated in the beginning of the year, the Freeholder Board has been taking some of its meetings on the road to towns in various locations around the county.
The first road show meeting was held in June in Burlington Township. The experiment was deemed a “huge success” as more than 60 residents attended the meeting. Similar numbers were expected for last Wednesday’s meeting.
A large contingent of the Fraternal Order of Police Local 166 attended to voice their displeasure over the ongoing arbitration process with the board in regard to a new contract. They have worked without a contract since 2008 and without a pay raise since January 2012. After failing to come to terms over a contract, the discussion was turned over to an arbitrator. Flash forward one year later, and still nothing has been resolved.
Donnelly said the freeholders were equally frustrated with the situation and have been in contact with the arbitrator in hopes of moving the process along.
Many in attendance used the public comment portion to thank the freeholders for taking their meetings on the road as it gave them the opportunity to get a glimpse of what is happening within their government without having to travel.
Mayor Linda Bobo deemed the meeting a success as well.
“I want to thank the freeholders for coming out tonight. It’s great to see how many people came to be a part of this meeting. I hope that the board will return to Mt. Laurel for more meetings in the future,” Bobo said.
Donnelly took time to thank Mt. Laurel specifically for making this meeting happen.
“The Township of Mt. Laurel has been great. This is not an easy thing to do. There are a lot things that have to be done for us to be able to take our meetings on the road, and everyone here has been extremely helpful,” Donnelly said. “I look forward to returning here for future meetings.”
