Voters Want Mendham Twp. to Explore Merger With Borough

Recently re-elected New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Mendham Township resident, blasted his hometown and neighboring community during a town hall in Montville this past June, wondering why the township and Mendham Borough were not one. 

An overwhelming majority of his neighbors – 87.7-percent who voted – agreed with him on Tuesday, and told the Mendham Township committee to pursue the concept of a merger between the two towns.

The result of a special question on Mendham Township’s ballot was 1,588 ayes to 222 nays, according to Mendham Township clerk Kathleen Potter.

The question, which came from a resolution passed by the township’s governing body on April 8, 2013, asked:

Should the Township of Mendham engage in exploratory discussions with the Borough of Mendham to determine whether a merger of the two municipalities into one “Mendham” would be beneficial to both municipalities?

During the aforementioned town hall meeting by Christie, he took shots at why a library in each town could not become one, and why the Mendham Borough police don’t assist him in an emergency, rather than Mendham Township police, as he lives closer to the former.

Mendham Borough Mayor Neil Henry made reference to shared services earlier this year as well, when he asked why the Mendham K-8 school district and Mendham Township K-8 school district could not share a superintendent.

Mendham Borough did not have a similar question on its ballot.

What do you think of the Mendhams merging? Should both towns consider it? What first step should the Mendham Township Committee take in pursuing a merger?