New law eases municipal consolidation

Reaction from Merchantville and Cherry Hill leaders about the bill and the continued possibility of a merger was mixed Wednesday….Said township spokesman Dan Keashen: “We’re all in (for a possible merger.) The mayor is ready to go and has said he is more than willing to study the issue and move forward with a productive group. “If they (Merchantville) want to come and talk, we’re ready.” “My feeling is, basically, that the general public elects the officials,” said Merchantville Mayor Frank North. “And those officials should be the ones to make such decisions. “For a handful of residents to bypass the governing body is wrong.” North said he had no preference as to whether the merger study is conducted or not. “You can’t have a group trying to do a study without knowing all of the ramifications of working with the government of another town,” he said. http://bit.ly/lPCk2e