June 4, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Franklin Lakes Borough to collaborate with schools and library by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Council has agreed to participate in the Franklin Lakes Synergy Project, a collaborative effort with the Franklin Lakes Board of Education and the Franklin Lakes Public Library Board of Trustees to explore opportunities to share services and reduce costs. The Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act authorizes public entities to enter into agreements with each other to contract for services the parties to the agree- ment are empowered to render within their own respec- tive jurisdictions, by coordinating the delivery of services, aggregating purchase powers, reducing redundancies, and other similar shared services. Each of the three entities has passed resolutions com- mitting to finding ways to improve efficiencies and reduce costs by finding operational synergies through sharing services, coordinating events and service delivery, aggre- gating purchasing powers, reducing redundancies, and other shared processes. The resolutions each state that “the borough’s taxpay- ers support the borough, the local school district, and the public library with their tax dollars and rightfully expect these public bodies to explore every opportunity to improve efficiencies and to save costs.” In addition, the resolutions establish a task force to explore these oppor- tunities consisting of Borough Administrator Gregory C. Hart, K-8 School Business Administrator Michael J. Solo- kas, and Library Director Gerry McMahon. Areas to be explored will include operational synergies, Mudcloth journal workshop set Make a mudcloth-covered journal with Lisa Shepard Stewart at the Franklin Lakes Public Library on Thursday, June 12. This 7 p.m. workshop will include a discussion of journal writing. Bogolan or mudcloth is a fabric from Mali, West Africa. The textile is made using narrow strips of cotton cloth woven on looms in the villages, dyed, and painted with river mud. The presenter is a New Jersey-based writer and designer. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and an associate degree in communications. She has held various positions in the sewing, craft, and textile indus- tries, including creative director, writer/consultant, fabric buyer, merchandiser, and promotions manager. Her art- work will be on display in the Franklin Lakes Library Art Gallery during the month of June. Registration for the workshop is required. Call (201) 891-2224 or visit the reference desk at 470 DeKorte Drive. community events and activities, recreational programs, purchasing, library coordination, professional services, buildings and grounds, safety in public buildings, com- munications, and technology. The task force will be responsible for developing reports and recommendations for operational synergies, and submitting them to the council, the board of educa- tion, and the library board of trustees. “We all share the same stakeholders,” Mayor Frank Bivona said, summarizing the borough’s rationale for pur- suing this initiative. “Our residents support everything we do and we owe it to them to make sure that their tax dollars are used effectively and efficiently. We are look- ing for a review of what we do and how we do it, with an eye toward how, if we work cooperatively, we can improve those services and take advantage of the economies those shared services would provide.” When describing the board of education’s interest in this project, School Board President Larry Loprete stated, “We plan to continue the outstanding relationship we have with the borough to explore shared services and to opti- mize the return on taxpayer dollars.”