Cherry Hill and Merchantville consider merger
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
The Cherry Hill Sun
8/13/2010

While nothing is imminent, it seems Cherry Hill Township and the borough of Merchantville will consider looking at merging the two municipalities.

Cherry Hill Chief of Staff Dan Keashen confirmed last week that Mayor Bernie Platt and Merchantville Mayor Frank North recently held a meeting and discussed the possibility of the two entities merging into one.

A study would have to be completed, Keashen said, to determine the possible aspects of the merge.

Several reports have said a study like this could cost $100,000, but Keashen said it could actually be less expensive.

Details of which municipality would pay what for the study would also have to be determined.

“Moving forward, in talking about the cost of a study, first and foremost we would have to go out and use the marketplace to find someone who is competent and accurate to do the study,” he said. “What the price of a study would cost, it’s based on what the marketplace will yield,” “I’m not sure what the $100,000 is based off of. I know Chester Township just did a study with its neighbor for $42,000.

“At the end of the day we would hope there would be some kind of state subsidy for any kind of study that would be done.”

Keashen said the next step – if approved by both municipalities – would be the formation of a committee consisting of five representatives from Cherry Hill and Merchantville.

Merchantville is about six-tenths of a square-mile, has a population of 3,800, and about 1,300 households.

The idea of a merger was brought up by a Merchantville citizens group that brought a petition to the June 14 council meeting with 467 signatures, all supporting a merger.

In a letter to Merchantville residents, North said the petition expressed worries over the future of the borough’s economy, the elementary school cutbacks from the state, and the sending/receiving agreement with the Pennsauken Public School District and its high school.

If the two merge, Merchantville children could attend Cherry Hill schools.

The first step in the process would be for both municipalities to approve a referendum for a study of the merger.

North wrote that the study would determine several aspects, including Merchantville’s representation on Cherry Hill’s Council, property evaluation and taxes, assumption of debt and the possible disbandment of fire and police.

Keashen also added that it would give a very accurate assessment of what both towns can bring to the table, based on the perspective of a tax base, debt service and other variables.

According to North and included in his letter, if a merger is feasible and determined to be beneficial for both municipalities it would be voted on by the residents of each community. If either group of voters defeated the idea, it would be a dead issue.

North said Merchantville and Cherry Hill are waiting on word from the state to see if funding would be available.