Honoree:

Leona Ballinger, RMC, CMC
Clerk
Township of Harrison

Nominated by:

Milton E. "Bud" Reuter, Jr.
Township Committeeman on behalf of the entire Township Committee
Township of Harrison

Reason Nominated:

Leona Ballinger is the "heart-beat" of our township.

Our Municipal Clerk, Leona D. Ballinger, was first appointed November 16, 1981 to the positions of Municipal Clerk and Public Agency Compliance Officer. She was appointed Registrar of Vital Statistics in 1983 and the Administrator in 1984. January, 1991 she was appointed Claims Coordinator for our Joint Insurance Fund and held the position of Administrator until September, 2001 and Claims Coordinator until December 31, 2001. The Township Committee hired a full-time person to the Administrator position September, 2001, who also assumed the duties of Claims Coordinator, January, 2002.

She received her first certification as a Registered Municipal Clerk in April, 1985. Mrs. Ballinger has continued education reaching the first level of Master Municipal Clerk in 2000 and is currently working toward the second level. She will be re-certified as a Registered Municipal Clerk prior to September 30, 2002 having accumulated more than 51 hours of continuing education in less than 2 years. 20 hours of continuing education are required for re-certification. Mrs. Ballinger is the Treasurer for her County Association holding the position for several years. She is an Advisory Board member to the Municipal Clerks' Association of New Jersey, representing the Gloucester County Municipal Clerks. She is also a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

She was responsible for the Township of Harrison being recognized for her efforts concerning Radon education of is citizens in 2001. The Township of Harrison was one of only 3 municipalities recognized in the entire state of New Jersey. She continues Radon education on a regular basis, placing information in newsletters and loaning video tapes to our residents.

Mrs. Ballinger continues with her duties as Municipal Clerk, Registrar of Vital Statistics and Public Agency Compliance Officer without skipping a beat, always going above and beyond the call of duty.