On Nov. 3, residents of Adams Township and Mars borough can expect a question on their Election Day ballots to determine the future of the two municipalities.

The question asks residents if the two municipalities should merge and become one, called Mars Township.

The following questions were asked to Adams Township Supervisors Chairman Russell Ford and Mars Council President G. Michael Fleming in mid-June.

Ford: Mike Fleming and I have been looking for a long period of time to relocate the Mars Area Public library somewhere in the area of downtown Mars. After about five or six different times, we struck out until we came upon an agreement that we wrote up with NexTier Bank (the potential new location).

There were two pieces to it. There was going to be the library, and there was going to be a discovery center … The funding was going to come from both sides.

The conversation about the merger first started in about late October of last year between Mike and I. Both boards said, “Let’s come back and pursue this,” and that’s really how the process got started.

Fleming: That initial reality led us to look at all the other aspects of what we were already doing together, and as to whether or not we could streamline the cost if we combine the rest of the activities that we both had going independently. And that took on a greater meaning than even just the library.

Once we really looked into the practicality of merging the two and what could be accomplished across the whole borough and township, then it became quite clear that’s something we should be considering.

Ford: I would say the biggest challenge that we have faced so far is awareness and education, and getting people to understand what we're doing and why we're doing it.

We’re continuing to follow the path of being transparent. We've now had three public meetings. (There was one more held July 28 and more will be scheduled ahead of Election Day.)

Our merger website is live, and we have an open communication dialogue, in that anybody can ask a question at any time. Mike (Tylka, Adams Township manager) and I address those questions on a weekly basis.

And we had a meeting in the middle of May with all the Mars business owners. So, we’ve just got to keep telling the story.

Fleming: I think the biggest challenge is trying to get the word out. The questions that keep coming up are about representation for the borough and how that’s going to be handled, and what the tax ramifications are going to be.

From the Adams side, they want to know what we’re bringing to the table, and the borough has significant assets that we are bringing to the table, and most people don’t really know what that is.

So getting that communicated to the taxpayers has been — and continues to be — the challenge.

Ford: A lot of it talks about, “What’s going to happen to my taxes? Are they going to deliver my mail? Is my mailing address going to change?”

The good thing is, I see progression. When we had our first meeting, it was all about, “What are you doing?“ And then it evolved into the name. And then we came into the next meeting, when the questions were simple questions about the mail and the post office.

Fleming: From the borough residents’ standpoint, I’d say the representation concern has been the most dominant question. And our answer to that is, there's going to be an advisory board. And so we'll stay engaged pretty close with the township supervisors.

There will be a seat voted on for the (Adams) Township supervisor in 2027, so if the referendum passed this year in November, then it’s conceivable to think someone from the borough could actually run for that seat if they so desired.

But at the very least, there’s going to be a couple of members of council that will stay engaged with the township for the next two years as the process moves along and actually becomes effective.

Ford: The effective date is Jan. 1, 2028. Subject area committees comprised of representatives from each municipality have been formed and will meet throughout 2027 to ensure a smooth transition.

Fleming: If it’s approved in November, then I would think soon following that decision, we would probably begin to merge some of the administration and maybe the parks.

Then, over the course of 2027, we would most likely bring it all together by midsummer or early fall.

And at the point it became official, which would be Jan. 1 of 2028, it would probably be more of a formality than an actual act of merger. I think the merger of services would take place over the year between the vote and the official kickoff date.

Ford: When you're in a situation like this, you’ve always got to be forward thinking. My vision isn’t on November right now. My vision is on if this passes in November. And that’s where our conversations are right now.

If this merger passes in November, we will start the physical transition in January. We will probably start to work to merge the police, public works, and administration together, so that when it becomes Jan. 1 of 2028, it's just going to be a functional Mars Township.

The second piece of this is the library. If the vote passes in November, there could be a shovel in the ground next spring.

Fleming: One area that we haven’t had extensive discussion yet is blending the ordinances together from the existing Mars ordinance and the township ordinance.

They’re different in areas for obvious reasons. It’s going to take some time and some thought. That’s an area that we have to pay attention to and make sure that there’s clarity there, because it’s going to be a little different from one to the other.

Beyond that, I think it’ll be very easy to blend the maintenance groups together. We’re going to continue with our water plant operation and the sale of water to the current Mars customers, and nothing's really going to change there.

As far as the police go, we don't know exactly know at what point we'll blend those together, but I don’t think that’ll be a terribly cumbersome process.

Ford: The Adams Township Board of Supervisors will become the governing body. Mars residents will be able to vote for one supervisor seat in both the primary and general election in 2027 for a seat that is up at the end of that year.

As such, former Mars residents will have had the opportunity to vote for one supervisor that is seated at the effective date. All other seats will be up for election on their regularly scheduled dates.

Fleming: If the merger goes through, then on Jan. 1, 2028, the Mars Borough Council would be dissolved, along with the mayor. The existing (Adams) township supervisors, on that day, would assume control over the entire area of the borough and the township.

As their terms come up for reelection, the voters of the community as a whole would vote on whoever the candidates were for the board of supervisors moving forward. And there could be a candidate from what is the borough today, that lives within the borough, who could be a candidate for Mars Township supervisor. But the ones that are there would be in charge.

Ford: It will not in any form.

Fleming: There is no anticipated tax increase in Adams, and there will be a decrease in the property tax in the borough, simply because we would have to move in conjunction with the millage that the township currently charges.

Ford: Something that I think we are very proud of is that we have not raised taxes in Adams Township since 1994.

You never know what’s going to happen in the future, but the Adams Township residents should not expect because we’re doing this merger that they’re going to get a tax increase. But Mars is going to get a major benefit in the form of a tax decrease.

Ford: In the interim situation, in regards to water, there will be no changes. The Mars residents will continue to work off the Mars water system. Their police (officers) will be offered a job with our police … full-time only. They’ll have the opportunity to join our force under chief (Shawn) Anglum, and (Mars borough residents) will have the benefit of 24/7 police.

Fleming: Water is going to continue to be run in the same fashion. We have every intention of running our water plant far into the future. It's operating very efficiently. The police I’m sure will come together in time.

(Quality EMS), we already support jointly. The (Adams Area) fire department, we already support jointly. All that stuff’s going to stay and continue on, so it’s not going to be a difficult process to merge.

There are so many things we’re already doing together, so we might as well just make it the most cost-effective that we can for everybody, and make it a little bit stronger with the depth that we’re going to have with both staffs.

Ford: There will be no furloughs or layoffs of any current full-time Adams Township employees after the merger, and that will be the same of any full-time people at Mars.

Fleming: (Mars borough employees) will blend right into to Adams Township. Our maintenance people will blend in with their road department. Most of the guys are probably going to continue to do the same thing that they do.

Our water plant operator is going to stay in place and continue to operate the plant as he has been doing. And as we continue to update infrastructure in regards to the plant, we’ll have the same people involved in that, and probably additional helpers if we need them from time to time.

Fleming: If it’s voted down in either municipality, then it fails. It doesn’t matter whether it's voted down in both or just voted down in one. And it would not be able to be revisited for a period of at least five years.

And if that were to be the case, then the (Mars borough) council would stay intact and continue on. The township supervisors would stay intact and continue on with the normal election process. Really, it would just be a continuation of the business that we do currently.

Ford: I had a lot of people ask me, “Are you going to be broken if this doesn’t go through?”

And I said, I’m going to put my head on the pillow on the night of the vote, just like I do every night. Right now is when you fight the fight. You don’t want to something to not happen because you didn’t prepare, you weren’t communicating, and you weren’t transparent.

I believe we’ve been doing all of that, and we are going to continue to do it to an even higher degree as it gets closer. All I can do is inform, educate and coach.