VERNON EARNS PRESTIGIOUS STATE RECOGNITION

VERNON EARNS PRESTIGIOUS STATE RECOGNITION! - Mayor Burrell’s Comments at the 4.10.23 Council Meeting

On an annual basis, those New Jersey municipalities that have a Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, report to The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute on the annual initiatives that they have undertaken in support of improving the health and wellness for the residents of their towns.

As of this date, Vernon and 429 other New Jersey municipalities have these Mayor’s Wellness Campaigns.

Vernon’s Mayor’s Wellness Campaign was started in 2016 under the leadership of former Mayor HARRY SHORTWAY, and was activated and implemented by our Municipal Director of Recreation & Community Affairs, Ms. MICHELLE DOWNTAIN.

When I became Mayor in 2020, I recognized that our town’s Mayor’s Wellness Campaign was an important initiative that contributed significantly to Vernon being a good place to live and raise a family; and therefore, I not only continued this Campaign, but I also gave it my full encouragement and support.

Each year, the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute awards three levels of Mayor’s Wellness Campaign achievements - -

1. The beginning award level is the Bronze Award, which is awarded to those municipalities that are judged as New Jersey HEALTHY TOWNS THAT’S UP AND COMING;

2. The next award level is the Silver Award, which is awarded to those municipalities that are judged as New Jersey HEALTHY TOWNS TO WATCH; and …

3. The highest award level is the Gold Award, which is awarded to those municipalities that are judged as being full-fledged New Jersey HEALTHY TOWNS.

During the first six years that Vernon participated in this program, the highest award level that we have been able to achieve was that of a New Jersey HEALTHY TOWN TO WATCH. However, during 2022, which was our seventh year of participation, our performance finally earned us the highest and Gold Level award of a New Jersey HEALTHY TOWN!

Vernon was one of only 14 towns in the entire State of New Jersey to earn this prestigious honor of being recognized as a New Jersey HEALTHY TOWN!

I thank Ms. DOWNTAIN for the key role and critical that she played in leading our Mayors Wellness Committee team in the planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating functions that were required in researching and gathering the information and data required for our town’s application to be considered for this prestigious award.

PROUD OF OUR TOWN and VERNON STRONG!

Howard L. Burrell. Mayor

Never Let Important Things Get In The Way On Necessary Things