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Politics & Government

Hearing on Scotch Plains-Fanwood Consolidation Tonight

A local grassroots organization favoring consolidation is hosting a meeting July 16 in Scotch Plains.

Courage to Re-connect, a local organization in favor of consolidating Scotch Plains and Fanwood, will be holding the final of three public hearings tonight, July 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Scotch Plains Town Council Chambers.

The first hearing was held on June 18 at town hall in Scotch Plains. The second public hearing was held on July 10 at 200 Forest Road in Fanwood.

The meeting will give community members an opportunity to discuss the option of a consolidation study — a $50,000 to $75,000 report that would be funded through ReConnect’s Scotch Plains-Fanwood chapter.

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The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs mandates three public hearings as part of the Local Option Municipal Consolidation Law of 2007.

A representative from the State will be present at the meeting, and comments from residents will be submitted with the application.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fred Lange, founder of Courage to Re-connect, said this is the last step the organization must take before presenting their findings to the Local Finance Board, who can approve or deny a Municipal Consolidation Study.

“As far as I know, nothing has been done to increase shared services at least in the last three years,” Lange said previously. “Consolidating Fanwood and Scotch Plains would speed up that process, but first we have to have a study authorized by the State of New Jersey.”

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