With “day one” of consolidation fast approaching, the Princeton Transition Task Force hosted an informational “town hall” meeting on Monday evening at the Princeton Public Library.

Center for Governmental Research (CGR) President Joe Stefko presented an overview of the 100-plus page document described by Chairman Mark Freda as the Task Force’s “almost final” report. The current version, in its entirety, is available online at cgr.org/princeton; a final report is due to be completed by the end of this year.

Mr. Stefko has been a project manager and consultant on consolidation and transition since 2010 (“I still love to come to Princeton,” he joked on Monday). The report, he noted, includes “a process overview” detailing the identification of priority tasks and subsequent recommendations by Task Force subcommittees.

The report will serve as “an informational resource” for residents, other stakeholders, and the new governing body as they go forward with consolidation, observed Mr. Stefko. “So much of Task Force’s work was focused on the immediate, but January 1 is just day one of a new era.” By detailing each subcommittee’s responsibilities, recommendations, and the processes through which they reached their recommendations, the report provides a basis for “what should be on participants’ radar screens” after January 1. Transition Task Force subcommittees included Boards, Commissions and Committees; Communications; Facilities and other Assets; Infrastructure and Operations; Informational Technology; Personnel; and Public Safety.

Future consolidation efforts by other communities also stand to profit from the report, suggested Mr. Tefko. “When they go through this process, there’s a lot that they can learn.”

A “Guide to Municipal Offices” distributed at the Monday meeting listed the offices that are, or will be, situated in both municipal buildings. Township Hall, which is identified in the brochure as “400 Witherspoon Street,” will house the mayor and Council; Clerk’s Office; Administrator’s Office; Finance Department; Police Department; Court and Violations Bureau; and Department of Engineering. Borough Hall, or “One Monument Drive,” will be home to the Health Department; Human Services; Affordable Housing; Department of Public Works and Infrastructure; Parking Operations; and an additional office for the mayor and Administration.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” said Administrator Bob Bruschi describing the move. “Most of the offices have been relocated and we’re a little ahead of where we anticipated we’d be. I have to say it’s gone amazingly well.” Updates on office locations are also available at the consolidation website.

The Township and Borough voted in favor on consolidation on November 8, 2011. The Transition Task Force was established by the two municipalities’ governing bodies in January, 2012. Consolidation will officially begin on January 1, 2013. A party marking this historic occasion, will follow an organizational meeting. Details of the day’s events have not yet been announced.

There will be a joint meeting of the Consolidation Commission and the Transition Task Force on Monday, December 17, at 7 p.m. in Township Hall.