About the study
In 2009, officials in Princeton Township and Princeton Borough initiated an effort to explore the potential benefits of consolidating into a single municipality and, short of full consolidation, further sharing services in police and public works. Following a public hearing in December 2009, the governing bodies of the Township and Borough received approval from the State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Local Finance Board to create a Consolidation Study Commission and establish a process for a study of consolidation and shared services.
The Commission, comprised of both Township and Borough representatives, was tasked with studying the feasibility and potential benefits of consolidating the municipalities into a single governmental unit, as well as identifying additional shared service opportunities in police and public works.
To assist in this important effort, the Commission engaged the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), a nonprofit management consulting organization with deep experience in government management, public finance and municipal consolidation processes. CGR's objectives, as defined by the Commission, were to:
- Examine the full range of government services and administration of the Township and Borough;
- Prepare a draft implementation plan for the municipal consolidation of the Township and Borough;
- Prepare implementation plans for shared police services and shared public works, that could be implemented in the absence of full municipal consolidation; and
- Advise the Commission regarding the benefits and disadvantages of each plan.
nbsp;
In addition to CGR's analysis of Township/Borough operations and the potential for consolidation and shared service benefits, the State's Department of Community Affairs produced a report concerning the financial aspects of consolidation.
