Message from Councilmember Ellen Zimmerman | April 10, 2026
Every April, Scotch Plains joins municipalities across the state to celebrate something that often seems invisible, but directly shapes our way of daily life: local government.
We are once again marking NJ Local Government Week, from April 12-18, and I want to take a moment to explain why it matters — not as an abstract civics lesson, but as a real reflection of how our township operates, in directly serving you.
Local government is the most personal form of democracy we have. It is not Washington, and it is not Trenton. It is us.
When a pothole gets filled, when a permit is processed for a family's home renovation, when a storm drain is cleared before a heavy rain — that is your local government at work.
When our municipal parks are upgraded, our public spaces are safe, and our zoning decisions continue to reflect the character of our tight-knit neighborhoods, that is the result of dedicated professionals and elected officials who show up every single day for this community.
NJ Local Government Week is a chance each spring for residents to look behind the scenes and recognize the people who make Scotch Plains run. Our municipal employees — from recreation to the clerk's office, from our police department to our manager’s office — are neighbors serving neighbors.
They deserve our recognition and our gratitude.
To help educate the community, the Township Council and our municipal department heads will once again release social media videos throughout the week, showcasing their work, beginning April 13. This year, we will be highlighting the clerk’s office, recreation, the farmer’s market, planned celebrations for the 250th anniversary of our nation, public safety, the master plan and our economic development efforts.
I have learned during my time on the governing body that local government only works well when residents are part of it. I urge you to attend a council meeting, reach out to us with ideas and, of course, vote in local elections.
During NJ Local Government Week, I encourage every Scotch Plains resident to learn a little more about how our township operates, meet the people who serve you, and consider how you might get more involved in building an even better community.
