April - May 2002 Edition

Deputy Mayor's Two New Committees   by Deputy Mayor Steven Weinstein In my 5 1/2 months as a member of the Borough Council I have quickly absorbed the issues concerning Fair Lawn. In addition to Fair Lawn's existing committees and their distinguished volunteers, I have set-up two new committees:  a Recreational Facilities Committee and a Business Leadership Committee.    Improving Recreational Facilities:  The first is the Recreational Facilities Committee. The purpose of this subcommittee of the Council is to review existing recreational facilities. The committee will evaluate all facilities and their current condition, status of the equipment, adequacy of utilization and such other review to determine the borough's current and future needs. Through this committee full discussion has lead to better communication between residents and borough representatives. An educational process has been established and staff has advised residents about the "Do's and Don'ts" in maintaining our athletic fields. Old and new ideas will be meshed into a cohesive program. For example, an old idea of "Adopt A Park Program" is being reviewed. The idea of a non-profit organization having responsibility over a recreational facility gives recognition to that organization and assistance to the borough in keeping a field properly maintained. A new idea being researched is "Flex Hours" for borough employees. This idea was in response to getting better litter clean-ups for the high volume of activity which occurs over the week-ends; rather than waiting for Monday morning clean-up. The committee is full of energy and is represented by various interested groups. We have people from All Sports, tennis enthusiasts, women's softball, men's softball, parents who have children active in hockey, soccer, and softball. The group is complemented by the borough's experts from various departments such as Recreation, Public Works, Engineering, the Board of Education, and members of Council. We have a very active community. We deserve well-maintained recreational facilities. Improving Business Districts:  The second committee which is in the process of being established is the Business Leadership Committee. The purpose of this subcommittee is to assist the many business districts of Fair Lawn in attracting more customers. Through facade and parking lot improvements the businesses will become more attractive. Through proper lending programs businesses will have inexpensive ways to fund their improvements. The successful ideas used in one business district will be discussed with other districts through this committee. Ultimately, an Economic Development Corporation may be established as the central agency for borough wide marketing and business recruitment, criteria for improvements and development of lending and grant programs. Improvement of our business districts will lead to higher ratables which improves the overall economy of the borough. There is a lot of work ahead for us. These committees should speed-up the process. It is both an honor and a pleasure to serve on the Council and on these sub-committees. Fair Lawn is extremely fortunate to have many talented individuals who are willing to give their time and best effort to make Fair Lawn a better place to live. What Do You Think?: Send an e- mail to editor@fairlawnnews.com or post a message on the Fair Lawn News Discussion Forum.