Municipal court services for both towns will be in Sea Isle's City Hall.
Criminal defendants and motorists charged with traffic offenses in Dennis Township will be appearing in municipal court in Sea Isle City starting next year.
Sea Isle will provide municipal court services for Dennis beginning Feb. 1, 2025, under a four-year deal approved Tuesday by Sea Isle’s City Council.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio called the agreement a prime example of two communities working together “in the delivery of outstanding services at the best cost to our citizens.”
“The agreement represents a fair deal between the two communities that will provide for the continuation of municipal court functions in Dennis at no additional cost to Sea Isle’s taxpayers,” Desiderio said in a report to City Council.
At the request of Dennis, Sea Isle submitted a proposal last year to provide municipal court services. The two communities recently completed negotiations for a “shared services agreement.”
According to the shared services agreement, Sea Isle will provide the courtroom facilities, municipal judge, public defender, prosecutor, court administrator and other court staff that will be needed for Dennis.
The agreement will run from Feb. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2028. Dennis will pay Sea Isle $115,000 in the first year, $120,750 in the second, $126,787 in the third and $133,126 in the fourth.
In addition, Dennis will pay Sea Isle half of all revenue it receives from its court cases, including the assessment of fines, court costs and other fees, the agreement says.
Both communities will each have the option of terminating the deal after the first year. They will also have the option of extending the agreement if they want to go in that direction.
Sea Isle and Dennis are part of a consolidation trend in New Jersey’s municipal court system through cost-saving shared services agreements between local municipalities.
“Also, given the direction of the state of New Jersey’s court system, it makes sense for us to be at the forefront of shared services,” Desiderio said.
