Commissions team up to boost culture, heritage

[njriverman]

Commissions team up to boost culture, heritage
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
By Jean Jones
jeanjones@fast.net
The Cumberland County and Salem County Cultural and Heritage Commissions agreed Tuesday to a future of working together, but not as one consolidated organization.

Consultant Nancy Moses had done a feasibility and advisability survey, funded by a $20,000 grant from the state Department of Community Affairs and released Tuesday at a joint meeting of the two commissions at Parvin State Park. Moses spent several months becoming familiar with Salem County and interviewing commissioners and staff from both areas. Moses previously has worked on other projects for Cumberland County.

The joint endeavor was considered because the two neighboring counties had much in common, and there was the possibility that by pooling their resources and creating a commission serving a larger area with more people, better services could be provided at less cost.

Both have low population densities and are rural in character but have significant museums, historic sites and established and emerging arts and cultural organizations. Both also share low income populations.

The structure of the commissions also is similar, with the same goals in their mission statements, size, a freeholder liaison and office support provided by the county.

And both have extremely competent coordinators - Dr. James Turk in Salem and Matthew Pisarski in Cumberland.

It was the feeling of commissioners that the two men could provide far more working together to benefit culture and heritage in both counties.

Moses said the study was totally groundbreaking.

"According to the manager of Regionalization and Special Services who oversees the SHARE (Sharing Available Resources Efficiently) Program, this is the first Shared Service Feasibility Study undertaken by two county governments. It is also the first Shared Services Feasibility Study undertaken by any cultural and heritage commission," she said.

On the plus side, shared services could reduce costs. The state would provide up to $200,000 to cover the cost of changing Web sites, newsletter design, compatible software and hardware, a new logo and other expenses.

Staff could be consolidated with savings in salaries and grant program management and heritage tourism and promotion could be managed more efficiently.

On the downside, there would be the loss of jobs and identity. One entirely new commission with members from both counties would be formed

"You would all just have to go away," Moses said with a wave of her hand that included both commissions. After more than an hour of discussion about possible options, both commissions agreed they would like to try sharing service opportunities and ideas without becoming one entity.

Moses said that at this time, it was what she would recommend.

Salem County Commissioner Jim Waddington said he felt it would be a serious mistake to merge with the hope that it would increase funding from the state.

The commissions could share training workshops, grants management and promotion of each other's special events.

Salem County Commissioner Ronald Magill pointed out the difficulty of getting people to drive the extra distance to attend events farther away.

They also could share ideas. It was agreed that two members from each commission will meet over coffee monthly to do just that.

Cumberland County Freeholder Jane Christy pointed out that the two counties already are sharing in some respects, such as a shared Health Department and a Workforce Program, in addition to the Scenic Byways Program and a bike path which cross both counties.

Cumberland County commissioners suggested that grantwriting workshops, handicapped access workshops and other educational services could be opened to those from both localities.

"It's exciting to hear that everybody's pretty much on the same page," said Salem County Commissioner Robin Weinstein.

If the commissions had decided to proceed with the option of merging, the final decision would have been made by freeholders of both counties. Commissioners felt that more tangible benefits could be obtained by working together, not as one.

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Could be good I think.