Robbinsville residents and township administration have worked together to put the town on the right track, the mayor said in his State of the Township speech Thursday.

Mayor Dave Fried addressed several dozen township officials, local business and community leaders at the Grainger facility in the Matrix business park Thursday afternoon. Fried highlighted a proposed tax cut, as well as the introduction of large businesses such as Amazon to the township, the community’s response to Superstorm Sandy, and efforts he has made to encourage local business development.

“I wanted to see if I could bring my approach to business to government to see if I could make a difference and I think it has,” he said.

A new project, based on encouraging residents to shop local, will launch this June, Fried said. It will allow patrons of businesses, at least 50 so far, to dedicate part of the proceeds from their purchases to local charities through an online portal.

He said charities such as the local Boy and GIrl Scout troops, soccer leagues and churches could see donations through the program. The township will also put up billboards and advertisements that include local business owners, he said.

“We want people to know who they are, not just what they sell,” he said.

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