Get to Know Mercer County Government

Since you are reading this, you probably already know that Mercer County Library System is a terrific community resource.  But we are not the only county government department that provides a great deal of services and information for residents and visitors to the Capital County.  Like the library, some departments maintain their own websites and social media accounts, while others have pages on the county’s main website.  Almost all of these websites have had recent updates to get a fresh look and add more content about the programs that are offered, so let’s take a look at Mercer County on the web.  Keep in mind that you can also find information about the programs and services on the county’s social media pages, just look for Mercer County, New Jersey or the specific department, as many have their own accounts.

In this month’s post, we will take a look at the main county website and cover the other county websites in April’s post.  The county’s website can be found at www.mercercounty.org.  While the primary focus of the site is to provide information about the government departments and the services offered, the site also includes information and links to area attractions, municipalities, tourism, and articles about topics such as county history.

The main page of the county’s website has a set of boxes that link to the most frequently used resources, as well as a menu to help you navigate the full site and a search box to help you locate specific information.  In addition to the frequently used resources, the bottom boxes also include four important links – news, calendar, boards and commissions, and subscriptions.  The news and calendar areas are exactly what you would expect, a comprehensive calendar of county meetings and special events and a page of recent news items.  The link for subscriptions lets you sign-up for email newsletters and emergency notifications, you just have to enter your email address to get started and can even set a password for your subscriptions to protect your privacy.  Lastly, the boards and commissions page offers a variety of opportunities to get involved in county government, as there are many advisory boards that citizens can become members of to help guide government programs.  These can also be found under the boards and commissions section of the menu.

Using the menu to navigate the site has an “I want to…” drop-down that offers quick links to common questions, such as how to get a passport.  It also includes links to schedules and contact information.  The community area has articles about Mercer County and its member municipalities, while the explore area contains links to attractions and information about tourism.  The work area highlights resources for job seekers and the government tab provides information on elected officials and information on meetings and reports.

Focusing on the departments menu, this is where we find the bulk of the information on the types of programs and services offered by the county government, which is what we want to look at today.  Some of the departments listed, such as the Clerk to the Board and Medical Examiner, but offer few services to the general public.  Their pages are still worth a look if you are interested in how the government works.

• Consumer Affairs – this department runs the county weights and measures division that regulates items such as gas pumps and grocery store scales.  But they also respond to consumer complaints and educate the public on consumer issues.  Their page includes information on recalls, how to deal with home improvement contractors, and how you can schedule someone to speak to your group about topics such as elder fraud.
• County Clerk – almost everyone deals with this department at some point in their life, since it is responsible for running elections, recording property sales, and vital records.  But did you know the clerk’s office also processes passports, issues county IDs, provides notary services, and registers business trade names? 
• County Surrogate – this is another office we all are likely to do business with during our life, since they handle will probate.  If you need information on wills or estates, their page is the place to turn.  In addition to information on the legal proceedings, the page contains useful tools such as a glossary of terms, a list of duties of an estate executor, a checklist for family members to use when someone passes away, and even information on how to deal with digital assets.  The department also offers outreach programs like home-bound services and free literature such as a living will kit.
• Culture and Heritage – the department runs programs and supports organizations that promote arts and history in the county.  The page includes information on upcoming events, festivals, grant opportunities, and an extensive list of links to area arts and history groups for those doing research or interested in visiting local galleries.
• Economic Development – this department promotes business in the county by offering advice and even loans to small business owners.  The page also has resources for consumers, with a list of hotels, office parks, local business guide and a green living guide with tips on how to save the environment, and money, at home.
• Emergency Management & Public Safety – the department oversees the county’s emergency communications and training programs.  For citizen services, this page is where you will find information on how to sign up for the emergency notification system and well as information on Sheriff’s department sales and programs.  The Sheriff’s office offers citizen education programs and services such as the personal alarm program for senior citizens who live alone.
• Extension Services helps homeowners with environmental needs through education and services such as one-on-one consultations regarding garden, lawn, and pest issues.
• Housing and Community Development – this department offers lots of information for homeowners, renters, and tenants.  There are also programs available to get advice or financial assistance for first time home buyers, low and moderate income housing, weather-proofing, and increasing energy efficiency.
• Human Services is a large department that includes a lot of divisions, ranging from the library to public health.  Many of the departments offer education programs through free literature or speakers for groups.  Their pages also offer links to resources in the community and information on the programs they run.  Programs offered by the various divisions include drug and alcohol abuse programs, lunch programs for senior citizens, personal assistance for the disabled, financial assistance for starting a child care center or placing a child in daycare, block grants to neighborhood centers, mental health services, health education, emergency preparedness and post-disaster aid, crisis intervention, juvenile offender prevention, and resources for the homeless.
• County Connection is located in the Hamilton Square Shopping Center on Rt. 33.  The center is an outreach location for county services, such as passport applications, notary services, and a place to pick up recycling buckets.
• One Stop Career Center – brings together government and private organizations to help job seekers.  They also offer training programs for businesses and career counseling for youth.
• Planning – the department deals mostly with land development, open space, and space preservation.  The department also runs the Property Information Portal, the online database of county property records.  The Planning page also includes all planning documents and demographic data on the county.
• Transportation and Infrastructure – includes the roads department and building maintenance.  For citizens, the department also runs mosquito control, which can be contacted for inspections and consultations regarding mosquito issues, as well as TRADE transportation services for the elderly and disadvantaged.  The page also includes information for travelers using the Trenton-Mercer Airport.
• Veterans Services – includes information on how to apply for health and housing services, a list of links to organizations that help veterans, and how to donate to the annual holiday meal drive.

- Laura N., Information Technology