Levinson & County Commissioners To Receive Award For New Court

Consolidating public services wherever and whenever possible has always been a long-term goal of Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.

Levinson won a hard-earned battle to create the first-of-its-kind consolidated county court system in the state of New Jersey history.

Atlantic County has caught the eye of the New Jersey Municipal Managers Association, who has selected Levinson and the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners to be formally recognized for their actions.

The special recognition is as a result of the creation
of the Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County.

“A consolidated municipal court was an opportunity for
Atlantic County to embark on a unique shared service for the benefit of our taxpayers to help alleviate some of the burden of living in highest taxed state in the country,” said Levinson.

Atlantic County‘s consolidated court system did not come easy. It involved a lot of diplomacy and many hours of meetings with local municipalities, to introduce the concept and achieve their buy-in … which would mean that local municipalities that would agree to participate, would be forfeiting long-time home rule.

That’s always been the biggest challenge to implement consolidation of services. Everyone loves the idea, until they lose their own local control.

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The process begin in 2020, when Levinson invited all 23 municipalities and Atlantic County to a meeting in order to discuss this concept.

In advance, Levinson had the support a former New Jersey Senate Presudent Steve Sweeney.

Levinson won big, when all three county growth districts, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township and Hamilton Township all agreed to join the consolidated municipal court system.

Without this trifecta, the Consolidated municipal court system would not have been realized.

It was Sweeney himself who introduced the legislation, which passed in 2021, to take effect on January, 2022.

"Atlantic County is proud to be a model for the rest of the
state and we will continue to pursue initiatives that reduce costs and serve the best interests of our residents,” said Levinson.

Levinson shared that The court is located at 5905 Main Street, Mays Landing, in the Historic County Coyrthouse.

Ten (10) municipalities currently participate in the consolidated court system. The combined court also hears cases filed by the New Jersey State Police, Division of Gaming Enforcement, along with other state agencies.