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The Charter Study Commission has created a website to keep residents abreast of developments in their process of studying the city’s form of government.

The commission meets each Monday at City Hall, the West Side Community Center or the Springwood Center, depending on the week. The five-member body is tasked with scrutinizing the city’s form of government and possibly suggesting changes, ranging from recommendations on how to conduct elections to a total overhaul of the city manager-council style of government the city currently employs.

Depending to the nature of the recommendations, either the public or the city council will vote to approve or deny them. The group has been meeting since January, and has nine months to finish its job.

The recently launched website, at AsburyParkCSC.com, features all of the group’s meeting agendas and minutes, as well as recordings of most meetings and some presentations from officials who have addressed the group.

“I’m really proud of the website,” commission chair Pam Lamberton said. “It’s short and sweet.”

Lamberton hopes citizens will use the website as a tool to become more involved in the charter study process. The group plans to hold a public forum in late April, and will encourage residents to peruse the website beforehand to aid in preparing comments in questions.

Lamberton is especially proud of the recordings of meetings, available on the website.

“It’s the kind of website I’d love to see other groups in the city copy a little bit,” she said.

Lamberton credits Doug Ferrari and John Kaplow with providing the technical expertise necessary for the site’s construction.

The charter study commission will meet tonight at the West Side Community Center from 7 to 9 p.m. County Freeholder Tom Arnone will address the group, mostly on the topic of shared services.

“If we don’t end up recommending a new form of government, one of the things we can do is make recommendations to the city council on ways they can improve the existing government,” Lamberton said. “If we look at shared services, this is a great way to improve the city government and responsiveness to the community.”

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[Charter Study Commission members pictured above, from left: Randy Thompson, Michelle Maguire, Duanne Small, Rita Marano and Pam Lamberton.]

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