Consolidation Commission Approves Consolidation For Police, Public Works

The Princeton Consolidation and Shared Services Study Commission on Tuesday recommended merging police, pubic works and some municipal jobs should voters approve municipal consolidation.

The commission stopped short of discussing how much this is expected to cost.

Discussion of the finance subcommittee’s recommendations came after 10 p.m. on Tuesday and commission members could not immediately agree on what numbers should be publically presented as one-time costs and savings and which should be presented as ongoing costs and savings.

“I think we all agree on the numbers,” Borough Councilor David Goldfarb, a commission member, said on Wednesday. “It’s how to present those numbers that won’t result in unnecessary confusion.”

Finance discussions will continue at the finance subcommittee meeting on Monday and the next commission meeting on May 25.

The commission unanimously agreed should voters approve consolidation, the new municipality will be called Princeton.

Members approved the police subcommittee’s recommendation for consolidation by a vote of 9-0.

Commission member Ryan Lilienthal outlined a plan to initially merge the two departments to a combined force of 60 sworn officers, and then reduce that number to 54 and ultimately 51 officers over a three-year period.

Officers would be merged into the newly formed department and maintain their same rank. The numbers of officers would decline, it’s hoped, by retirements, not layoffs, Lilenthal said.

Despite fewer officers, the consolidation includes a plan to beef up police presence for traffic and neighborhood patrols.

“In the restructuring process you are going to be able to rearrange some of those duties,” said Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman, a commission member. “In none of the discussions that we had or the models we envisioned that you would decrease some traffic or safe neighborhood presence.”

The commission voted 7-2 to recommend that the borough and township look to pursue a 51-officer model of shared police services even if voters do not approve consolidation.

Commission members Goldfarb and Patrick Simon voted against the motion.

The commission voted 8-1 to consolidate the municipal recreation, engineering, parks and sewer operating committee into an integrated department of public works. The commission recommended the governing bodies should be sensitive to the recreation department, whose members have expressed concerns that a merger may make the department less efficient. 

Commission member Carol Golden voted against the motion, citing the department’s concerns and because there are no immediate anticipated costs savings.

The commission voted 9-0 in favor of an advisory planning district and to consolidate some municipal positions, including clerk, tax collector and emergency management services.

Borough resident Phyllis Teitelbaum spoke at Tuesday’s meeting to voice her concerns about what she sees as an inequity in consolidated government.

“The reason it is inequitable is because there are two township voters for every one borough voter., Teitelbaum said. “The borough voters would be outvoted.”