Bernards Mayor Mary Pavlini's Inaugural Address

Editor's Note: The following is a transcript of Mayor Mary Pavlini's inaugural address,given Jan. 3 She and fellow Township Committee member John Carpenter also were sworn into their third three-year terms on the governing body at that meeting.

Good evening everyone. My best to you this holiday season and I hope you have a great New Year.

I would like to thank my fellow Township Committee people for choosing me as your mayor for 2012. I look forward to working with Deputy Mayor Carolyn Gaziano, my colleagues and staff for an exciting 2012.

In 2011 we — literally — weathered a number of storms and I want to thank our residents for their fortitude and patience as we labored to restore services to the community. As we move into 2012 we will be working hard to learn from our experiences and improve our emergency response.

1. We will continue to work on holding JCP&L accountable for their performance during Hurricane Irene and the October snowstorm. We will do this both on the regulatory front with the [state] Board of Public Utilities and on the legislative front with our representatives from district 21. We will not be satisfied with anything less than substantial improvement in service, repair and communications.

2. We will continue to improve our own protocols and response to emergencies. Our Office of Emergency Management has already implemented new procedures. We have set up accounts in social media and will continue to make sure we can communicate with our residents via phone, smart phone, the internet, as well as traditional means. Technology has changed the way we communicate and we will change with it.

I certainly hope that we will not experience severe weather as we did in 2011 for quite some time, but if we do, we want to be ready and we will be.

Of course, we will be working on other matters as well. We are committed to keeping spending and taxes as low as possible. After public health and safety, this is our number one priority.

1. In April we will be consolidating our emergency dispatch system with that of the county, reducing our employee headcount by almost a dozen people.

2. We are a member of purchasing consortiums that get wholesale rates on everything from gasoline and diesel fuel to electricity and road salt.

3. Our exemplary staff safety record and training programs will lead to thousands of dollars in savings on our insurance premiums.

4. We are going to continue to lead the way as one of the “greenest” communities in the state. Last year our Green Team achieved Silver Status with Sustainable Jersey, one of only 6 municipalities to do so. Our solar field at the [township] Sewerage Authority is up and running and saving the ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars in electricity. We continue to reuse, recycle and purchase energy efficient products.

Along with staff we will continue to keep a watchful eye, be fiscally conservative and run Bernards Township in an efficient manner; all the while providing the services our residents are used to.

I am grateful and proud to be selected to serve you as Township Committee person and mayor.

Again, I would like to thank my Township Committee colleagues for choosing me as Mayor for 2012; I look forward to working with staff and serving you as mayor and township committee person.