Tuesday, October 21, 2008
BY HARRY S. POZYCKI

MORE THAN 175 business leaders and local elected officials came together recently at Monmouth University for a "Call to Service" conference, one of the kick-off events in a large-scale effort aimed at inviting our state's citizens to participate beyond the ballot box and provide constructive leadership on the problems facing our municipalities, counties and state.

As the national fiscal crisis of the past few weeks has confirmed, these are times of great challenge for our nation, our state, our communities and our families.

It is precisely in times like these that we need to become an engaged citizenry, a point made by Orin Kramer, chairman of the State Investment Council and the Call to Service Conference keynote speaker.

That is exactly why the Citizens' Campaign has launched the New Jersey Call to Service, which will give the overwhelming majority of citizens who don't have the time, money or inclination to run for office the opportunity to use their skills and talents to tackle the problems facing their home towns and state.

Citizens are now being recruited for four identified paths to service that meet this criteria:

1) Serving on an appointed local or state board or commission.

2) Serving as a neighborhood-level party committeeperson.

3) Becoming a citizen legislator by devising a constructive common-interest proposal and presenting it to a relevant government body.

4) Serving in the increasingly important area of emergency response, such as the first aid squad or auxiliary police.

Citizens and local elected officials are also being encouraged to make their own hometown Call to Service. This includes adopting a Model Citizen Service Ordinance, which would create a public directory of all municipal boards and commissions, with vacancies noted, and which establishes an open application process for citizens who want to contribute their ideas and solutions.

A "Call to Service Community" would also adopt a Citizen Service Day Resolution. This resolution establishes an annual celebration of the town's exemplary volunteer leaders and extends an invitation to new residents as well as the general public to apply for service opportunities in town and in the state government.

Among the tools created by the Citizens' Campaign for this Call to Service is a five-course curriculum that provides an introduction to leadership service and includes four courses, each devoted to one of the four paths to service.

In order to encourage broad participation, these courses are available online and on demand, as well as taught in leadership forums throughout the state. A do-it-yourself guide for citizens interested in making their hometown a Call to Service Community is also available online.

Partnerships with the business, non-profit, emergency management and religious communities have been forged to assist in this ambitious recruitment effort.

And if the response of the business community at the Call to Service conference co-hosted by Monmouth University and its president, Paul Gaffney, is any indication, we are off to a promising beginning.

Despite the difficult and volatile business climate, business leaders throughout our state spared a weekday to discuss the best ways for themselves and their employees to get involved in serving their town and state.

And recent poll results released by the Monmouth University/Gannett Poll provide further grounds for optimism. Nearly six in 10 New Jersey residents believe that being a good citizen means having some special obligations. Similarly, nearly two in three New Jersey residents feel it is important for them to be active in their communities.

Now is the time to enlist New Jerseyans to use their talents and leadership abilities to serve their communities and state, and by doing so build a better future.

The New Jersey Call to Service points the way.

Harry S. Pozycki is chairman of the Citizens' Campaign, which devises government solutions and recruits and educates citizen leaders.