8/14/2019 Municipal and School Officials - 5-6-09
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Dear :
Thank you very much for expressing your thoughts and concerns in
your recent email.Please accept this response which is made on
behalf of all members of the CamdenCounty Board of Chosen
Freeholders. We are hopeful that this communication will
eliminate any misconception that exists concerning the issues
raised in your email.
Over the past three years, the Freeholders have reduced spending
by over $6 million. Wehave done so in a cooperative effort with our
employees by attacking governmentspending at all levels and by
creating efficiencies in the way we deliver services.
We have received many inquiries from elected officials from
municipalities and schoolboards as to how we have achieved the
reduction in spending and resulting decline in ourtax rate. In
response to these inquiries, we invited officials from all taxing
entities inCamden County to a meeting where we shared the methods
we have employed to reducespending.
The letter that I sent to municipal and school officials
inviting them to the meeting andthe meeting itself have been
misinterpreted as an attempt to interfere with the
negotiationprocess between school boards and collective bargaining
units. No member of the Boardof Freeholders has or will be involved
in negotiations between local boards of educationand their
respective bargaining units. We have no legal authority or interest
in becominginvolved in any negotiations other than those involving
the employees of Camden Countyand its agencies. The purpose of our
meeting was to simply share with elected officialsour methods of
reducing spending. We have not and will not engage in any practices
thatwill interfere with your salary and benefits. We respect the
collective bargaining processat all levels. We also respect and
thank you for the outstanding job that you and your
colleagues perform in providing a high level of education to the
children of CamdenCounty.
I recently met with Mike Flynn and other NJEA representatives to
clarify the issues setforth above. I think we all left the meeting
with the mutual understanding that the Boardof Freeholders will
continue its efforts to reduce taxes in Camden County and that
theFreeholders have not and will not engage in any practice that
interferes with yourcollective bargaining process. I hope that your
leadership has or will share the results ofthat meeting with its
membership.
The Freeholders recognize the important role that you play in
making Camden County agreat place to live. We recognize that you
deserve a fair salary and benefits package. Wealso recognize that
the terms of your employment are subject to a collective
bargainingprocess. We respect that process and realize that there
is not room in that process foranyone other than the
participants.
The number one complaint that we receive from our constituents
is that property taxes aretoo high. We hope that you recognize our
efforts to reduce taxes in Camden County. Wecannot do it alone. We
need the help of the hard-working municipal officials and
school
