FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2009

Survey on freeholder meeting times now online
Residents are asked to choose a new day and time

FREEHOLD – To help measure the public’s preference on meeting times, the Board of Chosen Freeholders has placed a brief survey on the home page of the county’s Web site.

By visiting www.visitmonmouth.com, residents can weigh in on whether they would attend a Freeholder workshop meeting if it were held in the evening. Workshop meetings are currently held at   2 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the Hall of Records. The purpose of a workshop meeting is for the freeholders to discuss items on the regular public meeting agenda. 

A second survey question asks residents to choose which day of the week is preferable and whether the workshop meeting should be held at 6:30 or 7 p.m.

“Before we start changing day and time of the workshop meeting, let’s ask the public what they prefer,” Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow said. “That way, if we move the workshop meeting to the evening hours we will be making a more informed decision.”

The survey will remain on the Web site until Nov. 30, at which time the Board will examine the results and make a recommendation for the coming year. All freeholder board meeting times are set in January.

The freeholders currently hold their regular public meetings in the evenings, usually at 7 p.m. on a Thursday following the afternoon workshop meeting.

Additionally, the second regular meeting of the month from March through September is held in a Monmouth County municipality. All other meetings are held in the Hall of Records in Freehold. James Gray, clerk to the freeholder board, said the meeting rotation is designed to cover all regions of the county and provide opportunities for residents to attend meetings closer to home or work. 

The complete list of freeholder board meeting dates is available on the Monmouth County Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com.

#     #     #