At what was likely one of their shortest meetings in recent memory, the Collingswood Borough Commissioners nonetheless hammered out a fair bit of business Tuesday evening, most of it relating to its new shared-services initiative, announced earlier in the day at a press conference in Haddonfield.

Touting the benefits of economies of scale while warning against the stick-and-stick diplomacy expectedly forthcoming from the New Jersey Legislature this fall, the commissioners formally resolved that Collingswood would join Audubon, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township, Mt. Ephraim and Oaklyn in an “Interlocal Service Agreement.”

The first collaboration under the arrangement will see Collingswood share electrical, plumbing and fire sub code inspectors with Oaklyn. Future efficiencies are planned at a Thursday meeting of the seven towns, said Mayor James Maley.

“There’s going to be legislation that’s going to pass this fall that’s going to put new requirements in to share services,” Maley said. “If you don’t do it, the state can withhold aid from you.”

Commissioners Michael Hall and Joan Leonard put a more upbeat spin on the agreement.

“I think this is a good thing,” Hall said.

“Just think about a couple years from now how many opportunities will come up that we can problem-solve from thinking in this way,” Leonard added.

The commissioners also formally appointed Elizabeth Pigliacelli as chief financial officer of Collingswood, a move that Maley said brought the part-time consultant fully on board the payroll.

Hiring Pigliacelli will relieve Borough Administrator Kieth Hastings of some responsibilities, Maley said after the meeting, allowing him to focus on other demands of the position.

The commissioners also awarded a contract to American Asphalt Company of West Collingswood Heights for the resurfacing of Conard, Dayton and New Jersey avenues, and announced that they will be seeking the services of a towing service for the borough.

Finally, the commissioners offered a formal resolution announcing the borough's intention to seek a declaratory judgment against the LumberYard petitioners, a de facto statement pre-empted by their press release announcing the same last week.

In part, the resolution reads:

"The Borough Commissioners believe that the actions provided for in Ordinances 1520 and 1521 are in the interest of the Borough in that they advance the completion of the redevelopment project at the subject property in a manner that will be beneficial to the Borough and that the action requested in the Petition is not permitted to be considered as a referendum under the New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law or the New Jersey Long Term Tax Abatement Law and has requested the Borough Solicitor to seek a declaratory ruling on the issue with the New Jersey Superior Court."