This bill amends the Common Sense Shared Services Pilot Program Act to include Bergen County as a pilot county, allowing its municipalities to participate in shared services agreements. The pilot program enables municipalities to share services for key local positions, such as municipal clerks and chief financial officers, without being hindered by the tenure rights of those employees. The bill specifies that municipalities in the newly added Bergen County, along with the existing pilot counties of Atlantic, Camden, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Sussex, and Warren, can enter into agreements that may involve the dismissal of tenured employees not selected for the shared service roles.

Additionally, the bill modifies the definition of "pilot county" to reflect this change, increasing the total number of participating counties from seven to eight. This expansion aims to evaluate the efficiencies of shared services among municipalities with diverse characteristics, ultimately seeking to reduce local expenses and provide property tax relief. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40A:65-4.2, 40A:65-2