By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
The Borough Council has approved a new formal Transition Task Force.
The resolution, adopted on Jan. 10, clarifies the purpose of the task force to recommend and facilitate appropriate actions and decisions regarding the consolidation of the two Princetons.
It also establishes the appointees as borough employees, which can then be discussed in closed session, according to the Open Public Meetings Act, known as the Sunshine Law. Employees can be volunteers, such as those on the task force.
Under the borough-approved resolution, the task force will consist of 15 members composed of three citizens from each municipality and two members of each governing body. These members will have the power to vote. Two citizens, one from each municipality, will be selected as alternates.
One citizen from each town shall be elected co-chair.
Non-voting members will include a representative of the State Department of Community Affairs and the two municipal administrators.
Quorum of the task force will be the presence of three voting members of each municipality and decisions will be made by majority vote of the residents of each municipality, or four yes votes, two from each town.
The task force can establish and administer subcommittees at its discretion and it is expected that the major departments—including police and public works—will have their own subcommittees. Other subcommittees include personnel, finance and information technology. Subcommittees will report to the task force.
The appropriate municipal staff will serve on the appropriate subcommittees.
A budget for operations is subject to the approval of the two governing bodies. Employing assistance and professionals can be done with approval of the municipal administrators.
All meetings will be open to the public and special meetings will be held on March 21 and May 23 to discuss the task force’s work with the public. Special joint governing body meetings will be held throughout the spring and early summer to consider the work of the task force.
A preliminary report on the full implementation of consolidation is due to both governing bodies on April 10.
The task force will sunset at the end of June 2013, six months after full consolidation.
The township needs to adopt the resolution and Mayor Chad Goerner expects to discuss it at the next township committee meeting on Jan. 23.
