Pamela Borek, the Hillsborough Township Municipal Clerk and longtime resident, was recently honored for her services to the community.
Borek was recognized as the “Municipal Clerk of the Year” on May 1 at the Municipal Clerks Association of New Jersey 2019 Education Conference.
Alongside her position as township clerk, Borek is also the municipality’s information officer, communications director and OEM deputy coordinator.
Borek has served as the township clerk since December of 2012. She has served on the Advisory Board of the MCANJ for 2016 and 2017; the People Page editor for the Quill; a member of the Somerset County Municipal Clerks Association since 2012; was secretary for 2015 through 2016; and currently serves as President of the County Association since 2017.
She has also served as a presenter at several conferences on various topics. In 2017, she presented at the New Jersey Municipal Managers Spring Conference on customer service. In 2018, she presented at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Annual Conference on the importance of a public information officer.
In 2019, she presented at Municipal Clerks Association of New Jersey Education Conference on vacant and abandoned property. She also presented this year at the New Jersey Municipal Managers Spring Conference on community engagement and internships.
At a township committee meeting on May 14, Hillsborough Mayor Frank DelCore honored Borek with a proclamation to further acknowledge her efforts and commitment to public service.
Borek said that the recognition from the clerks association held much significance to her given the amount of people in the clerk’s association. Not only did Borek explain that she considers many of the people in the association as her colleagues, but felt they set a positive example as well.
“Being recognized among your peers, over 750 municipal clerks, deputies and acting clerks in the association, is truly a rewarding experience,” Borek said. “I was completely taken back as I have had the opportunity to work with previous recipients of this significant recognition and hold those individuals in a high regard.
“Being now a member of their elite group, as one colleague mentioned to me in her congratulations is something I do not take lightly,” Borek said.
Alongside the recognition from the clerks association, Borek said that her service to Hillsborough contributes to her achievements as well. She said that the continuous backing from the municipality and community has helped contribute to her successes.
“First and foremost, I am a resident of Hillsborough Township; it has been my home for over 22 years,” she said. “Getting to do what I ‘get’ to do every day in the town in which I reside is truly amazing. I am very fortunate in that I have the support of the mayor, township committee, and administrator, fellow employees, the residents and volunteers within the township in my endeavors.”
Outside of her work in the municipal offices, Borek said that the township’s many services and events strengthen her affection toward the community. She said that one of her favorite township events each year is the Memorial Day festivities hosted by the municipality, which includes the “Salute to Veterans Breakfast.”
Borek explained that she has family ties to multiple veterans, so the annual event holds much prominence to her.
“Being able to be a part of that day has truly meant the world to and to have the opportunity to thank our veterans and appropriately honor war dead,” she said. “My father served in World War II in the Navy, my brother-in-law spent 20 years in the Navy, and I currently have a niece and her husband in the Army.”
Moving forward, Borek said that she still plans to contribute to the community and her colleagues in a variety of ways.
Whether she anticipates to present at another informative conference or assist in the progress of the area’s municipality, Borek is committed to taking the next step in her service to Hillsborough Township.
“As a result of this recognition, I am hoping to continue to be able to present at various conferences as well as work with fellow municipal clerks on further developing enhanced community engagement and internship programs,” she said. “I believe there is tremendous opportunity within our schools and universities to bring awareness to the potential of careers in local government and internships is one mechanism in which to do that.”
