Chatham Township Enters New Shared Services Agreement With Union Township Health Department
Chatham Township has entered into a new shared services agreement with Union Township, effective July 1, 2024, to receive the services of Union Township’s Health Department, replacing the expiring shared services agreement between Chatham Township and Bloomfield. This agreement will provide Chatham Township with excellent public health services, in accordance with state requirements, while helping to keep tax costs low.
Chatham Township initially entered into a shared services agreement with Bloomfield in 2020 and maintained a collaborative working relationship with Bloomfield’s Health Department. In 2023, Bloomfield announced that they would exit all shared service agreements and as such would no longer be able to provide their services. The Chatham Township Board of Health reviewed a proposal from Union Township that was recommended by Board of Health Secretary Gregory LaConte and Township Administrator Ziad Shehady, and voted unanimously to endorse the new agreement. The agreement then received unanimous approval from the Township Committee at their Regular Public Meeting on May 21, 2024.
The new shared services agreement establishes a partnership between Chatham Township and Union Township that allows for the health officials of Union Township to provide health inspections, septic inspections, public health nursing services, and registered environmental health services.
By entering this shared services agreement, Chatham Township can provide public health services required by State law without the additional strain on the municipal budget associated with the overhead of creating a new department and hiring new employees. The cost of this agreement with Union Township follows the same as with the previous Bloomfield agreement.
Mayor Stacey Ewald was quoted as saying “I want to thank our volunteer Board of Health members, Clerk, and Administrator for their exceptional work to ensure a smooth transition. We look forward to working with our new partners in Union Township.”
For more information, please contact Chatham Board of Health Secretary Gregory LaConte at glaconte@chathamtownship.org.
