As has been the case for over a century, the New Jersey League of Municipalities held its annual conference, bringing representatives of the State’s 564 municipalities, as well as countless other leading government officials and vendors, under one roof.
Lakewood Township was among the event’s key co-sponsors at this year’s Conference, which was held at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Lakewood featured the most prominent municipal booth on the massive floor, and it was a beehive of activity throughout the three-day event. Members of the Lakewood Township Committee, along with other leading Township officials and business leaders, were on the floor, interacting with attendees and exhibitors on a personal basis.
There was also a special “Meet and Greet” event hosted by Lakewood Township at the Borgata Hotel, where Township officials worked to forge new relationships with business leaders and top talent.
As the fourth-largest municipality in the Garden State – and the fastest growing – Lakewood’s prowess on the State economic and political scene is substantial. Still, there is a relative lack of familiarity outside the region with the true scope of what Lakewood has to offer.
Mayor Ray Coles relates that the Conference enabled Township officials to share details about Lakewood’s spectacular opportunities with the powers-that-be. “We shared information about our Industrial Park; our Class A office space; the UEZ and other incentives to open a business locally; with business leaders from throughout the State and they were wowed,” says Mayor Coles.
Township officials also interacted with a wide variety of vendors and exhibitors who offer innovative products and services for municipalities to service their residents, as well as top talent in engineering and other fields who are potential recruits for local government job positions.
Mayor Coles points out, for instance, that Lakewood was among the first municipalities in the State to collect trash with automated trucks, going back to the turn of the century. “We strive to always be on the cutting edge of technology and innovation to service our residents in the most effective and cost-efficient manner,” he says.
