Local news- Press Release
Leonia New Jersey - Mayor Ziegler s Update December 6th 11 January 2024 ( news )
Leonia , state New Jersey ( By Press Release office)
Jan 11,2024
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I think it is important to update Leonians on what I’m doing now as Mayor - Elect and , after January 3rd , as your next Mayor . Please consider this my first update .
–One of the first things I did as Mayor - Elect the morning after Election Day was to reach out to our largest taxpayer and employer – Kulite Semiconductor Products , Inc . on Willow Tree Road . The following week , I met with the entire Kulite senior executive team , including its owner Mrs . Nora Kurtz , to ensure a good relationship between our borough and their business going forward . I’m very pleased with the initial discussions and our joint commitment to work together to mutual advantage .
Kulite , in my opinion , is exactly the kind of clean industry Leonia needs more of , is a very good neighbor and a model of corporate social responsibility . My intent is to do whatever I can to help them continue to be successful in Leonia and to expand their operations in our borough as appropriate . In a separate communication at the beginning of next year , I will be going into additional detail about what Kullite does . You may be surprised to the extent Americans and the world depend on Kulite’s products ( pressure transducers ) and might not even realize it .
–I’m also happy to report volunteerism is alive and well in Leonia . I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here , volunteers are the backbone of our town . Without well functioning Boards , Commissions and various volunteer organizations our lovely town would not be what it is nor could we ever expect to reach our full potential . Let us not forget for a moment that Leonia’s Fire Department is also all volunteer .
As part of my upcoming duties , I am currently considering who to appoint to the various Boards , Commissions etc . in town . I take this responsibility , as does the entire governing body , very seriously . I urge anyone who is interested in volunteering their time to complete the volunteer interest form on the official borough website which can be found here Volunteer Page . Additional information on the diverse set of committees and commissions can be found there too . Anyone interested in an application for the Leonia Volunteer Fire Department , please contact me directly .
Nothing makes me happier than to get more people involved in their town’s activities and to try and match peoples interests/capabilities with the right volunteer opportunity to best help Leonia . Please let me know about your interests , and I’ll do my best to slot you into an appropriate role so you can be part of what makes Leonia special .
–I continue to be actively engaged as the Facilities Committee Chair overseeing the construction of the new municipal building to house the Police Department , the Court and the Violations Bureau . The end of November update for the building can be found here https://www . leonianj . gov/Home/Components/News/News/834/179#!/ .
You can see for yourself if you’ve passed by recently how the building is in the final stages and the landscaping is coming along nicely too . Our opening date is a bit uncertain at the moment due to PSE&G’s tardiness in connecting the electricity . I know as a homeowner you can be frustrated by PSE&G not showing up when they were supposed to and it is , apparently , no different for a municipality . At least , they are consistent! Please read the update on the website for details .
–I’ve taken some initial steps to associate Leonia’s business community with the regional chamber of commerce in our area . I think we would all benefit from a better communications link between the borough and our businesses . The regional chamber of commerce also offers various commercial advantages to our business community which will help them compete more effectively for customers from other towns . Leonia has much to offer and it’s important that our businesses achieve their full potential too .
–If you’re around on Saturday , December 9th and interested in Leonia’s municipal budget process , please consider attending the budget hearings scheduled for 8:30 am at the Senior Center on Beechwood Place adjacent to the Sculpture Garden . This is the first important meeting to kick off consideration of the 2024 operating budget ( last year’s operating budget was $17 . 4 million ) . The current Mayor and Council will be present along with the newly elected Council members . Come see for yourself the inner workings of budget formulation . I know many might regard this as a real ‘yawn ' , especially on a Saturday morning , but it is important .
If nothing else , I think you will be impressed with the focus on value for the $ and can judge for yourself how your governing body appreciates and allocates hard earned tax dollars . At this meeting , each of our department heads will present to the Mayor and Council their budget request for 2024 . As your Mayor - Elect and a current member of the Finance Committee , you can be assured this will have my full attention .
I can guarantee anyone who attends will learn much more about Leonia’s municipal services and come away with an appreciation for what comprises our borough’s operating budget .
As we head into the holidays , I wish everyone a happy holiday season filled with fun , family and friends . I also hope to see many of you in town frequenting our restaurants and stores .
Bill Ziegler
Mayor - Elect
Prospect Street
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