TOWNSHIP TAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD SHARED FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH SOUTH ORANGE

Maplewood took the first step toward possibly merging its fire department with South Orange on Tuesday night with a resolution authorizing a bidding process for a consultant to study the idea.

Mayor Vic Deluca said South Orange's Board of Trustees will also consider the idea and, if agreed, a request for proposals would go out later this month, with a deadline for proposals to be submitted in March, and a consultant hired in June.

"We've met a couple of times now," the mayor said about talks with South Orange. "We've decided that this go around what we thought was best was to engage a consultant sooner rather than later."

He said a consultant would likely cost between $35,000 and $50,000, with costs shared by Maplewood and South Orange. A consultant's report would expect to be presented by early 2017.

"There is willingness on the part of both governing bodies to enter into serious conversation about a merged or consolidated, shared fire department," Deluca said. "We really need to get some expertise in here to take a look at this."

The TC voted, 5-0, to authorize the bidding process to begin with South Orange to hire the consultant.