Mayor William Pikolycky is pleased to announce that Woodbine Borough Council at its July 15 meeting passed a resolution to enter into a Shared Services agreement with Middle Township for Municipal Court Services and a shared municipal court.
This agreement would be for a term of five years, with an anticipated commencement date of September 1, 2010, and continuing through August 31, 2015.
In the current economic climate, including reduced State Aid, all municipalities have been asked to cut municipal expenses so as to provide for real property tax assistance, while continuing to make ends meet. As neighboring municipalities turn to each other in an effort to make limited resources stretch as far as possible, consolidation and/or shared services with other public entities results in savings in administrative and other redundant costs.
Both Woodbine and Middle are presently part-time courts with part-time judges, prosecutors, public defenders and administrative services. Furthermore, in its present incarnation, Woodbine Municipal Court would have to consider major renovations to its building to meet the needs of staff as well as the Administrative Office of the Courts, which would place an additional financial burden on our tax payers.
“Given all of the above, and the recently passed 2% cap, entering into this shared services agreement with Middle Township will reduce both present and future court-related expenses thus decreasing the tax burden upon our local residents,” concluded Mayor Pikolycky.
