Village, town merger on hold

MORRISTOWN — The push to study merging the village and town of Morristown has come to a halt.

Last year, the town of Morristown commissioned the Binghamton University Center for Local Government to examine the benefits of merging the town and village administrations, as well as fuel depots and maintenance facilities the village and town share with the Morristown Central School District.

"At this point nothing else has gone on," village Mayor Cheryl A. Shatraw said. "People had a lot more questions about what exactly dollar-wise the savings would be and things like that."

The report found there could be a $33,000 savings and an increase in non-property-tax revenue of $192,000, largely from an expected increase in water and sewer use and added state aid. Property taxes for those within the village would decrease from $14.46 to $4.27 per $1,000 of assessed value, the report said. That change would be a result of increased revenue and a shift of some of the tax burden to town-only residents.

The report also suggested water and sewer rates would jump as much as 43 percent because some general and highway fund costs would be redistributed to the water and sewer funds.

But ultimately the report recommended more studies.

Since the final report was issued in March, the village of Morristown has become the lead agency for the project.

Mrs. Shatraw said the village does not have any plans to continue the studies unless it receives money from a grant or government program.

"I think it's just the fact that with the economy the way it is right now, villages and towns don't have the money to do a new study," she said. "Is it worth it to sink $5,000, for example, into a study?"

The first study was paid for with $24,346 in grant money awarded in 2006 from the state Department of State to look into consolidation opportunities.

Although there are no plans to apply for grants to continue the studies, Mrs. Shatraw said the project is not dead.

"We'd be interested," town Supervisor Frank L. Putman said. "But right now the ball is in their court. We're open to anything if they come forward."