The Camden County Mayor’s Association hosted its annual South Jersey Mayors Dinner on Sept. 17 at Villari’s Lakeside Restaurant in Gloucester Township.
The association is a non-partisan organization of 37 mayors who represent all county municipalities. This year’s dinner was a chance for networking, collaboration and discussion of shared challenges. Association president and township Mayor David Mayer led the event, emphasizing the importance of gatherings like it for building partnerships and creating opportunities to work together across county lines.
“It’s important that mayors work together because we all have the same challenges,” Mayer said. “Instead of working in isolation, it’s better to share ideas and services that can help reduce costs and address government issues.
“What I proposed was getting together again, not necessarily for dinner, but more casually to discuss issues and how we can collaborate more effectively.”
The mayor’s association typically meets monthly, with the exception of July and August. In recent years, Camden and Gloucester counties have held joint meetings, and Mayer noted that he hopes to expand those opportunities moving forward.
“It’s about partnerships and looking at ways to save money for our residents,” he explained at the dinner. “We want to break down barriers, increase communication and share concrete ideas that benefit other mayors and towns.”
The evening also featured participation from the New Jersey Conference of Mayors (NJCM) in a discusson of statewide priorities. Mayer noted the group’s involvement is key to keeping local leaders connected to broader initiatives.
Plans are being made for a new Mayor’s Innovation Summit that will include both Camden and Gloucester County associations, as well as the NJCM. The summit will focus on sharing solutions to common municipal challenges and ensuring South Jersey towns remain connected to statewide resources.
