Callery, Valencia confirm they won’t be included in potential Mars/Adams merger
As a plan to merge two southwestern Butler County municipalities formed, two others in the area weren’t included in the conversation.
Mars and Adams Township recently jointly proposed a merger to their residents, but prior to the public announcement in January, Shanon McKenna, a Valencia Borough Council member, had not known of the discussion.
“If Valencia Borough were to be included in this merger, it could benefit us in several ways,” McKenna said in January. “The merger could help alleviate the financial challenges we face in funding essential services, such as police and fire protection, code enforcement, road salting, snow plowing and general road maintenance and improvement.”
A sizable portion of the borough of about 500’s 0.4-square-mile footprint is covered by St. Barnabas — a nonprofit, senior living community that is tax exempt.
On Monday, March 9, McKenna shared the result of a conversation with Adams Township about joining in on the merger.
“After reviewing our financials, (Adams Township Supervisor Russell Ford) determined that it does not make sense for Adams Township to merge with Valencia Borough, or to include us in that vote with Mars and Adams merging,” he said.
Meanwhile, Callery Borough Council President Rose Wirtz said the borough of less than 1,000 residents she represents is definitely not interested in taking part in any merger and that the borough hasn’t been approached regarding participating.
“To be honest, I’ve really not given it much thought at all because there's a lot of other things that we're working on right now,” Wirtz said.
She added any merger involving Callery with the two other municipalities would be complicated, as Callery is in a different school district.
“One thing you have to remember, if you’re talking Callery Borough, you’re talking Seneca Valley School District,” Wirtz said. “If you’re talking to Adams Township or Mars, that’s Mars Area School District.”
Valencia, however, is located within Mars Area School District.
During a public hearing held Jan. 22 at Twelve Oaks Mansion in Adams Township, it was revealed both participating municipalities were initially interested in including the small boroughs in the merger discussions as well, but ultimately chose not to for logistical reasons.
The terms of the Pennsylvania code governing combinations of municipalities — the Municipal Consolidation or Merger Act of 1994 — allow for the possibility of a merger or consolidation involving more than two municipalities. Within the text of the act, the definitions for both “merger” and “consolidation” include the phrase “the combination of two or more municipalities.”
However, information provided by Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development indicates that of the five municipal mergers or consolidations since the start of this decade which have been approved by voters, none have involved more than two municipalities.
