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Surrogate highlights outreach growth, asks to restore funding for a PR consultant and digital outreach
Summary
Essex County Surrogate reported increased public outreach and digital engagement, asked commissioners to consider earmarking funds for community outreach and described a prior consultant's role in boosting service access.
The surrogate for Essex County described expanded outreach, digital initiatives and community partnerships during the county's budget hearing, and urged commissioners to consider restoring funding for a public-relations contractor that helped the office reach more residents.
"We were able to reach about 947,000 people in our audience, which to us generated over $18,000 worth of free revenue that came out of work that we've done," the surrogate said, highlighting television appearances, online coverage and bilingual materials produced for guardianship and estate-planning guidance.
Surrogate staff said a prior contract with a communications firm helped make web content and outreach more accessible to nonattorneys and helped drive engagement and service usage; the office discontinued the contract because available funds were needed for IT upgrades and other mandated system work. The surrogate asked the board to consider capital or dedicated outreach funding so the office can sustain community education, website improvements and multilingual materials.
He also noted a digitization project that migrated more than 6.5 million images to microfilm, improving search access for the public and court staff. The surrogate said the office recorded an increase in probate cases handled year-over-year and expects continued demand for services tied to estate planning, guardianship and adoptions.
Ending: Commissioners expressed support for outreach work and asked county administration and the treasurer to clarify whether transfers or trust funds could help restore outreach capacity.
