Every resident of Sea Bright should be sure to shake Councilman William Keeler’s hand the next time they meet.
Keeler, while not endorsing the concept, has suggested the borough take an honest look at sharing services, including creating a combined police department with the neighboring town of Rumson.
It’s an idea both towns would be wise to consider.
For Sea Bright, the notion is appealing on many levels, first and foremost because of the significant savings it would bring the town by reducing the cost of running its own police department.
Rumson would likely save money, too, though probably not quite as much as Sea Bright.
Even in the absence of obvious cash savings there would be benefits to having a combined police force for both communities.
A force with 21 or 22 officers would allow greater flexibility for the two towns and could reduce routine overtime expenses, such as those that might be created by an officer’s injury or departure from the force.
And, as the councilman noted, discussions need not start or end with the police department either. There are other places where savings could be had, from public works to purchasing.
If the council is serious about discussing sharing services — and it should be — there is a third party who should get involved.
Gov. James McGreevey has made it clear that he understands the many fiefdoms that rule New Jersey are costly to taxpayers and the state can and should do something about it.
Officials from both boroughs should take McGreevey at his word and try to include the state in any discussions they might have, as well as seek state incentives to make consolidation happen.
We are long past the time for such discussions to begin. Plenty of other towns in the area should be having them by now. Sensible consolidation opportunities are currently available for towns such as Monmouth Beach and Oceanport, Rumson and Fair Haven, and perhaps, most logically, Shrewsbury and Little Silver.
Every bit of control borough officials bring themselves to give up will come back to their residents in the form of lower taxes.