OP-ED: The Rebirth of Bloomfield

Another exciting week in the Rebirth of Bloomfield saga gives way to yet another Township Administrator's awkward resignation. Rather than waste valuable energy evaluating the performance of this most recent Administrator, here are 4 viable ideas the next Administrator-to-Be should act upon to build a strong foundation for Bloomfield's future.

1. Establish a Township Project Plan Worthy of Public Consumption

Define, review, and provide routine public communications against a clearly delineated 5-year master project plan. Ease the public's fears and apprehensions by demonstrating where Bloomfield is going and how we're going to get there. An impact assessment is a necessary part of this project plan, but should not derail "on track" initiatives. Include steps for addressing vagrancy and homelessness. This should be the new Administrator's very first order of business.

2. Attack Taxes from Both Directions

Reduce infrastructure overload (public safety utilization, education requirements, real estate devaluation) and overall tax burden due to rampant multi family zoning in suburban residential areas, particularly in the 3rd ward, via aggressive re-zoning and a multi conversion moratorium. Lowering taxes via spending cuts simply isn't enough, a reduction in burden is required. More single family homes is the first step. The new Administrator should lead the Town Council in passing a recommendation for the Planning and Zoning boards to develop a section in the above mentioned project plan to define explicit tasks to hit this goal.

3. Focus on Quality of Life Ordinances

Revitalize blighted downtown areas by removing billboard advertisements, enforcing noise/cleanliness ordinances and enacting stiff penalties for vandalism, graffiti, and litter. Current ordinances are well defined but not enforced uniformly, resulting in lower real estate values, social strife, and missed income opportunities. Plugging this hole stabilizes both urban and residential areas experiencing real estate devaluation. Perhaps our new Administrator would coordinate a volunteer fueled Task Force or Neighborhood Watch backed by some ordinance tightening.

4. Modernize Processes and Infrastructure Like It's 1999

Improve transparency via better request management processes and a modern, well defined Open Data policy. All meetings, documentation, announcements, key decisions, and data requests should be consolidated under a single, automated online mechanism featuring commodity, ubiquitous technologies like social media integration. No more waiting weeks for the status of a permit via fax or contacting the Clerk to photocopy a presentation given at a town council meeting. The Administrator must eradicate the many inappropriate and archaic processes not suited to drive a township-wide revitalization.

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