Mayor and Council introduced an ordinance at its meeting last week designed to both assist veterans as well as facilitate sharing stories of their accomplishments and sacrifices as members of the Armed Forces.
The proposed ordinance would establish the Atlantic Highlands Veterans Affairs Committee and would include five volunteer members appointed by the Mayor with at least three of the members veterans of the armed forces.
Purpose of the volunteer advisory committee specifically is to relay questions or concerns of local resident veterans to the governing body and provide information on federal state, and local programs for which veteran residents may be eligible or entitled to participate.
The proposed code also calls for research and analysis of the needs of local veterans in order to make recommendations to the governing body so those needs could be addressed, as well as research and provide information to the governing body on the accomplishments of veterans so they can be recognized by the general public.
The appointees would serve three years terms once the founding members have established the system so the terms would be staggered rather than all re-appointments occur in any single year.
There would be no line item in the budget for the committee, however it would have the ability to request administrative or financial support for specific projects.
Public hearing on the proposed ordinance which was introduced unanimously, is set for the August 11 meeting
