Assembly, No. 220 State of new jersey 216th legislature

ASSEMBLY, No. 220



STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

Consolidates various municipalities into the new municipalities of Seaside Township and Long Beach Island Township, or alternatively requires shared services agreements for all major services.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

An Act promoting local government efficiency by requiring either shared services between various municipalities, or the consolidation of various municipalities.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The area currently encompassed by the metes and bounds of the Borough of Mantoloking in Ocean County, the Borough of Lavallette in Ocean County, the Borough of Seaside Heights in Ocean County, the Borough of Seaside Park in Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 1 at 310 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 2 at 354 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 3 at 440 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Dover Beaches North at Route 35, Township of Toms River, Ocean County, and Dover Beaches South, also known as Ortley Beach, at Route 35, Township of Toms River, Ocean County, shall be consolidated into a single municipality to be known as Seaside Township in Ocean County, within 10 years following the effective date of this act.

b. Alternatively, all of the municipalities set forth in subsection a. of this section shall enter into a single shared services agreement for every major municipal service and function, as determined by regulations promulgated by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, within 10 years following the effective date of this act.

2. a. The area currently encompassed by the metes and bounds of the Borough of Barnegat Light in Ocean County, the Township of Long Beach in Ocean County, the Borough of Harvey Cedars in Ocean County, the Borough of Surf City in Ocean County, the Borough of Ship Bottom in Ocean County, and the Borough of Beach Haven in Ocean County shall be consolidated into a single municipality to be known as Long Beach Island Township in Ocean County, within 10 years following the effective date of this act.

b. Alternatively, all of the municipalities set forth in subsection a. of this section shall enter into a single shared services agreement for every major municipal service and function, as determined by regulations promulgated by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, within 10 years following the effective date of this act.

3. The Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs shall provide such assistance as may be necessary to effectuate these shared services agreements or these municipal consolidations, and to establish local governments for each new municipality, in a manner that conforms, whenever possible, to the provisions of sections 26 through 29 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-26 through C.40A:65-29).
4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would consolidate the Borough of Mantoloking in Ocean County, the Borough of Lavallette in Ocean County, the Borough of Seaside Heights in Ocean County, the Borough of Seaside Park in Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 1 at 310 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 2 at 354 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Brick Ocean Beach 3 at 440 Route 35 North, Brick Township, Ocean County, Dover Beaches North at Route 35, Township of Toms River, Ocean County, and Dover Beaches South, also known as Ortley Beach, at Route 35, Township of Toms River, Ocean County, into a municipality to be known as Seaside Township in Ocean County, and would consolidate the Borough of Barnegat Light in Ocean County, the Township of Long Beach in Ocean County, the Borough of Harvey Cedars in Ocean County, the Borough of Surf City in Ocean County, the Borough of Ship Bottom in Ocean County, and the Borough of Beach Haven in Ocean County into a municipality to be known as Long Beach Island Township in Ocean County within 10 years following the effective date of the bill. Alternatively, each of these groups of municipalities must enter into a single shared services agreement for every major municipal service and function, as determined by regulations promulgated by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, within 10 years following the effective date of the bill.

The bill requires the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs to provide such assistance as may be necessary to effectuate these shared services agreements or these municipal consolidations, and to establish local governments for each new municipality, in a manner that conforms, whenever possible, to the provisions of sections 26 through 29 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-26 through C.40A:65-29).

The consolidations, or, alternatively, shared services agreements, are intended to reduce local tax rates through economies of scale and administrative consolidation.