Hello, and welcome to Mercer County's website.

It gives me great pleasure to offer this site as a place to learn about Mercer County, from its history to what we can offer you right now.

I consider it an honor to serve as your County Executive, and this website is another step toward one of my Administration's priorities: making Mercer County government open, accessible, and responsible.

We've just added a new feature to the website, Mercer County Green Living Guide, where you'll find a list of programs and tips that will help guide you toward adopting a more environmentally friendly life at home and at work. Please check it out.

We have made great strides toward transparency in government, sustainability and many other goals since I took office in 2004, but I know that we have much more to achieve. County government brings our communities together, because it is large enough to improve the quality of life countywide, yet small enough to touch individual citizens. I vow that my Administration will continue to be guided by a passion for public service, for doing the right thing, and for reaching those who feel overlooked. I will continue to improve the quality of life for all Mercer County residents, always looking for new ways to make Mercer County a better place to work, live, play, and raise a family.

Mercer County has much to offer. We are rich in history, having been the stage for the American and Industrial revolutions. Major battles in the Revolutionary War took place across our county, and Trenton contributed greatly to America's development during the Industrial Revolution.

Today, waves of newcomers are adding new ideas to the chorus of energy that makes Mercer County a center for business, education and research, arts and entertainment, technology and entrepreneurship. Whether you visit one of our historic sites, enjoy one of our parks, take in a play or musical performance, shop in one of our many retail centers, or study at one of our institutions of higher learning, you will agree that Mercer County has it all:

Open Space - More than 27,000 acres, or 19% of Mercer County's total land has been protected from development into perpetuity. In the first three years of my Administration, Mercer County has preserved more than 2,440 acres of open space by working with our extensive network of partners. We will continue to aggressively purchase urban and suburban open space opportunities to ensure that development and congestion do not overtake our farms, forests, and meadows. By preserving these precious acres while we can, not only are we protecting our quality of life, but we are also preserving a legacy for our children and grandchildren. One of our most significant purchases of 2006 was the former Jewish Community Center in Ewing, home of the renowned Louis Kahn bathhouses. Known worldwide, these bathhouses were in danger of falling into irreversible disrepair until we decided to preserve the property and the Kahn bathhouses and pavilions for the future. In a perfect example of open-space dollars working for you, plans are underway for the Kahn buildings to be historically preserved while the JCC will be transformed into a community center.

Economic Opportunity - Two venues recently built by Mercer County -- Waterfront Park and the Sovereign Bank Arena -- continue to be a destination for sporting events, concerts, and trade shows in Trenton, our capital city. We will work hard to ensure that these venues spark the private investment that adds jobs, revenue and opportunity for our residents. In 2006, the New Jersey Devils purchased a majority stake in the Trenton Titans, our title-winning ECHL hockey team. During my first three years in office, we have expanded workforce training and placement opportunities, expanded our Foreign Trade Zone to allow incentives to attract new business and investment in our communities, and worked to support numerous small businesses. No community is complete without a vibrant and diverse economy, and we will continue to attract new economic opportunity to Mercer County.

Parks and Recreation - We are home to an outstanding Park System that boasts numerous facilities for active and passive recreation, including athletic and recreational facilities, meeting places, catering halls, and our four golf courses for public use and private events. We have improved our park facilities, increased the number of playing fields, and created an events and recreational hotline. In 2006, we started a new tradition at our parks, "Movies in the Park," which proved a huge attraction for residents of all ages. Under my Mercer at Play initiative, almost all of Mercer's 13 townships will have new outdoor recreation projects under way in 2007. We've recently revamped Baldpate Mountain in Hopewell Township as well, to make it more accessible for visitors. In 2007, we cut the ribbon on the Mountain View Golf Course clubhouse in Ewing and added a barrier-free playground, bocce courts and Grandparents Grove at Mercer County Park. Our Mercer County Tennis Center in Mercer County Park will be converted to offer a new, indoor facility by the end of 2007.  As we move forward, residents can continue to expect improved facilities and new opportunities to enjoy Mercer County to the fullest.

Quality of Life - Working cooperatively with our towns, Mercer County has repaved numerous roads to reduce congestion and improve commutes. Our Department of Transportation is constantly on the move, installing guide rails and rebuilding bridges where necessary. We have expanded veterans' services and opened the Mercer County Veterans Home to serve those who have protected our freedoms, and we have expanded funding to low-income families for home-heating assistance and home weatherization programs. Meanwhile, services for youths have expanded. Energy and resources have been focused on ensuring our young residents have positive interactions, from high-tech improvements at our County Library System to keeping parents and teachers aware of social threats like gangs. With the help of Mercer County Community College, the Mercer County Prosecutor, the Mercer County Sheriff, and local police departments, the County also took a major leap forward in the public safety sector with the creation of the Mercer County Police Academy. The Academy, which will be stationed at MCCC, will offer in-house training for Mercer County law enforcement personnel for the first time beginning in January 2007. In addition to tremendous cost savings, it will allow local law enforcement a readily accessible center for training and inter-agency cooperation. And in 2007, we opened County Connection, a satellite site in Hamilton where county residents can get everything from passports to recycle buckets.

Senior Services - Mercer County is home to several outstanding municipal senior centers, and Mercer County works in partnership with our 13 towns to provide low-cost meals through our Nutrition Project for the Elderly, as well as high-quality medical care and recreational opportunities through our Department of Human Services. We have expanded transportation opportunities and reduced waiting lists for our seniors and disabled citizens to move more freely throughout our area and through our T.R.A.D.E. (Transportation Resources to Aid the Disabled and Elderly) program through our Department of Transportation. We have improved service and facilities at the Mercer County Geriatric Center, and we will continue to improve the care that we provide to our most vulnerable citizens.
I think of the people of Mercer County as my extended family and my tenure in office as a privilege. Serving you is an honor, and I vow to do my best each day to make our county a better place to live and work. Please let me know how we can better serve you.

Sincerely,

Brian M. Hughes
County Executive