Freeholder Clifton leads panel on shared services
Presentation at NJAC conference to detail savings
in Monmouth County 

FREEHOLD, NJ – Despite the discontinuation of state resources to fund shared services programs, Monmouth County Freeholder Robert D. Clifton will continue oversight of vital cost reduction programs that have delivered millions in savings to local taxpayers
           
“Monmouth County shared services is pleased to continue as your partner in reducing the heavy tax burden on local residents,” Clifton said. “Despite the discontinuation of state funding, we are pleased to continue our shared services initiatives with a streamlined offering of the most cost-efficient programs that deliver the greatest savings to municipalities and, of course, local taxpayers.”

Clifton made the announcement at the annual New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) Conference, where he was a featured speaker at a seminar June 17 titled, “County Leadership Equals Service Delivery Innovation.” Clifton, who serves as NJAC’s vice president, detailed for conference attendees the streamlined offering of shared services initiatives that have been made available to municipalities and school boards through Monmouth County government.

The shared services program offers the highest savings to local taxpayers while also being mostly cost neutral to the county. Services that will continue to be offered include 911, police and fire dispatch, information technology technical assistance and training, Planning Board technical assistance and advisory services, commodity and co-op bulk purchasing, public works assistance with public infrastructure projects, eco truck wash services to meet state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) mandates and a Monmouth/Bergen County Health Wellness partnership, which delivers critical savings on health, medical and prescription drug costs. The program is open to all county residents.

“I look forward to continuing my leadership in the field of shared services,” Clifton said. “With continued cultivation, these positive results of building county-to-municipal partnerships through cost-savings shared services shall not only continue, but will expand as the program matures and evolves.”

Clifton demonstrated the tremendous success of the shared services program in Monmouth County. He said Monmouth County operates one of the state’s most active 911 emergency call centers that serve as a model of excellence for the state. This shared service provides 911, emergency, police and fire dispatch at a greatly reduced cost to Monmouth County municipalities by reducing duplication of services, personnel and equipment.

“Municipalities may take advantage of accessing the Sheriff’s office highly trained, experienced and time-tested dispatch system through the shared service initiative,” said Clifton, who is this year’s recipient of the prestigious “County Legislator of the Year award. “Great savings have been delivered to local taxpayers by partnering with county government.”

For example, Clifton said Freehold Township is currently saving $600,000 per year, Freehold will save $140,000 per year switching its fire dispatch to the county service and a recent shared services study analyzing such dispatch possibilities for several adjoining municipalities revealed potential savings of over $3.2 million per year.

In addition, taxpayers in Monmouth County will be saving $2 million per year for the next 10 years by sharing a youth detention facility with Middlesex County, while providing juveniles with an improved educationally based rehabilitative environment.

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