About the study
In 2008, officials in Chester Township and Chester Borough initiated an effort to explore the potential benefits of consolidating into a single municipality. Following a public hearing in February 2009 before a joint meeting of the Township and Borough councils, the governing bodies of the Township and Borough received approval from the State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Local Finance Board to create a Joint Consolidation Study Commission and establish a process for a consolidation study.
The Commission, comprised of both Township and Borough representatives, is tasked with studying the feasibility and potential benefits of consolidating the municipalities into a single governmental unit.
To assist in this important effort, the Commission has engaged the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), a nonprofit management consulting organization with deep experience in government management and municipal consolidation processes. CGR's objectives, as defined by the Commission, are threefold:
1. To analyze the full range of government services and administration of Chester Township and Chester Borough;
2. To prepare a consolidation implementation plan; and
3. To advise the Commission regarding the benefits and liabilities of consolidating the two municipalities.
