Towns must maintain list of boards, panels

Trenton Times
Matt Fair
Thursday, October 22, 2009

A bill mandating that municipalities keep a list of all local boards and commissions was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Jon Corzine. The Citizen Service Act requires that municipal clerks maintain a directory of local panels and include descriptions of positions, a list of serving members, any vacancies, any required financial disclosure of members, a schedule of meeting dates and times and the body's appointing authority.

The bill also requires that a standard application be made available to any citizen wishing to be considered for appointment. State Sen. Bill Baroni, R-Hamilton, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, D-Hamilton, and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, D-Plainsboro, were among the bill's 16 sponsors.

"With numerous municipal authorities, boards and commissions to follow, it can be difficult for citizens to keep track of how their local government operates," Baroni said in a statement. "At a time where government needs to be more open and more responsive, this legislation will go a long way to let citizens in to take an active role in their government."

The bill passed with unanimous votes in the Senate and Assembly. "The Citizen Service Act has the potential to reverse the trend of declining civic participation, and will provide local residents with the opportunity to participate in ways that can help keep spending and property taxes in check," Baroni added. "This is about putting people above politics."