Boro
The Borough is pleased to announce the next steps toward redevelopment plans in the triangle area located between Chestnut and Park Aves. These improvements are possible through funding awarded to Merchantville through a Transportation Alternatives Grant. The goal of the Transportation Alternatives Program is to provide federal funds for community-based “non-traditional” projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation’s intermodal system. The renderings, presented by CME Engineering Associates at the February 13th Borough Council meeting, illustrate the incredible change planned for the area. Project goals include p roviding pedestrian facilities downtown to promote foot traffic, improving pedestrian facilities and roadway crossings and, c reating a comfortable downtown area with seating, lighting, and landscaping. View the PowerPoint here.
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Development
The Borough is Hiring! Merchantville's Department of Public Works is seeking a qualified team member of their team for essential duties throughout the Borough. Position: Public Works Laborer Job. This is a full-time position. The essential duties and responsibilities for this position are available here. As part of our team, you will enjoy working with a great team, a competitive salary, health, dental and vision insurance, a State of New Jersey pension plan and, generous vacation time, sick time, and holiday pay. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (856) 662-2474 today to request a job application.
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Notices
Merchantville will mark its 150th Birthday in April 2024 and back in February of 2020, the Borough held their first planning and brainstorming meeting intended to create a series of signature events in 2023-2024 celebrating the Borough’s history, success and
future. By their follow-up meeting in December 2022, a 150th Trust Account had been established for fundraising which, along with sponsorships, will help support an event-filled celebratory year. The Borough wants to involve families, local historians, businesses, residents and those connected to the Borough’s history. Merchantville residents and organizations are welcome to complete this SURVEY to indicate their unique talents and knowledge, then the 150th committee will form subcommittees for various events and help with other tasks along the way. To date the Spring 2022 Roaring 20s Gala generated donations for beautification projects including the new holiday pole banners for the downtown! The first event of 2023 is the Borough Beautiful Tea on April 30th at the Community Center and the year-long celebration will culminate with Merchantville's 150th Birthday Celebration Weekend next April. "Once made up of sprawling farmland, Merchantville was developed by a group of merchants and incorporated in 1874 to reflect the town’s evolution into a community of stores and homes folks visited to get away from the bustle of the city and delight in a relaxing country setting while still enjoying amenities that made life easy and enjoyable."Thank you again for your time and we look forward to receiving your feedback!
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150th Birthday
The Borough of Merchantville celebrates 150 years of fashion trends - the good, bad, and off the wall! Join your friends and neighbors - at The Borough Beautiful Tea and Fashion Show on April 30th at the Merchantville Community Center for an afternoon of fun, laughs and tea beginning at 2:00 p.m. Enjoy delicious tea sandwiches and desserts at your table, indulge in a signature cocktail, and try your luck with a basket raffle and 50/50. Gather your friends to celebrate 150 years of the Borough Beautiful! Tickets are $30 each, full tables (8 seats) MUST be reserved in one transaction. Tickets go on sale March 13th. Check back for ordering information. Sponsorship and donation opportunities available. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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150th Birthday
The Borough is excited to host The Merchantville Community Round Up, on Wednesday evening, March 22nd, at the Community Center from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The goal of this event is to connect Merchantville organizations with more members of the community. Many residents are eager to be involved but unsure of the many groups available to join and/or volunteer with. The event is structured like a “job fair” so, each group will have a table where they can display what they wish, have sign-up sheets and information to share about what their organization does and its mission in our community. We will offer crafts for the kids and have refreshments for all. We hope that you are able to take part in this year’s Merchantville Community Round Up and that it is a successful way to recruit new members and volunteers to your organization! Mayor Brennan will also announce the 2022 Volunteer of the Year! Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. know if your group will participate. There is no charge to take part. This event is free for all.
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Notices
We know that many of you have been working hard on your Merchantville home to bring it back into tip top condition and The Merchantville Historical Society would like to acknowledge your efforts and those of your friends and neighbors if you let us know who you are. We are requesting your input in bringing to our attention anyone you know, (including yourself), who has done work over the last few years, interior or exterior, to beautify their home consistent with the original style and character of the house. We would then like to invite the nominees to attend a get together with the theme “Your House and Your Story”. This special evening will be a great time to meet neighbors throughout the community who have also been restoring their homes. Those attending will be asked to share a bit about the projects and challenges as they work on their special home. Feel free to bring a few photos of your project as well. The Society is working on a date and venue for this event, which would likely be in the second half of March, so look for further updates. But for now, please send your nominations to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include names and addresses, and if possible, email.
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History
On January 23rd, at the Borough Council Caucus meeting, members of the Merchantville Police Department were honored to be in attendance for the formal swearing in of the following officers. Sgt. Tomas Whalen was promoted to Lieutenant effective 1/2023, Sgt. Brian Callaway was promoted to Lieutenant effective 1/2023, Ptl. Keith Tappert was promoted to Sergeant effective 02/2022, Ptl. Austin Regalbuto was promoted to Corporal effective 1/2023, Ptl. Joe Clark was hired 1/2021, Ptl. Anthony Jones was hired 1/2021, Ptl. Matthew Hindman was hired 2/2022 and, Ptl. Angelo Ballestamon was hired 11/2022. Congratulations to our new and promoted officers!
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Mayor and Council
Working on your home? Scheduling an inspection has never been easier! With just a few clicks in the Borough's Self Service Portal on merchantvillenj.gov residents may now schedule appointments, complete applications and more without the need to visit Borough Hall. You can schedule an inspection, complete a zoning application, report a trash issue or file an OPRA all from your computer or smartphone! Please choose an option below to complete and submit your request. Schedule a construction inspection. Zoning Application for structures. File an OPRA request. Report a Trash issue or complete a Map search to identify different zoning classifications for lots, blocks, buildings and properties.
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Notices
Time to get your pets and backyard chickens registered! Registering your pet with the Borough is a simple way to ensure pets are up to date with rabies vaccines and aid in getting them home should they become lost. Please return your license renewal or application to Borough Hall, 1 W. Maple Ave, by Jan. 31 to avoid late fees. Forms are available here for dogs and here for backyard chickens. Licenses must be obtained annually in the month of January. Fees: Spayed/Neutered $18.00. Unspayed/unneutered: $23.00 Late Fees: After January 31, the late fee is $20.00 in addition to the original cost. A non-compliance fee of $50.00 shall be charged for each cat or dog found to be unlicensed. Licensing Age: Cats and Dogs over 7 months
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Notices
Happy holidays, Merchantville! Take a look on your next Downtown Merchantville shopping trip and you’ll find BRIGHT, NEW holiday banners celebrating Merchantville’s upcoming 150th Birthday! THANK YOU to all who donated during the Gala celebration, your generous contributions fund this and many more projects to come as we continue to grow the Borough Beautiful!
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150th Birthday
More than 300 years ago, the first farms and small settlements began to appear in this part of South Jersey. Gradually, more people began moving to this area, and by the mid 19th century the site where present-day Merchantville is located had been incorporated into a large municipality called Waterford Township. In 1859, a piece of land that included the newly settled village of Merchantville broke off from Waterford Township and became Stockton Township. Meanwhile, the Moorestown-Camden Turnpike, which opened in 1851, was making this area increasingly attractive potential residents, and between 1852 and 1860 a group of men who would be among Merchantville’s earliest residents and founding fathers – Patrick Cunningham, Samuel McFadden, Jon Loutey, Frederick Gerker and Matthias Homer – purchased extensive tracts of land along the turnpike. Another major impetus for settlement in this area was completion of the Camden & Burlington Railroad in 1867. This provided good transportation from Philadelphia and Camden, and helped spur growth in the community. Residents of Philadelphia were particularly attracted to the town, where they built both permanent and summer homes.
In 1857, at the home of Philadelphia merchant John Louty, several citizens had met to decide on a name for their little community. As the story goes, they had almost agreed on “Martinsville, in honor of Ben Martin, the popular owner of a local pub called the Stockton House. But John’s wife, Rebecca, suggested that a more appropriate name would be “Merchantville,” since the founding fathers were all merchants. The group agreed, and so it happened that this community is known as Merchantville, and not Martinsville.
By the early 1870s, many of Merchantville’s approximately 400 residents had grown unhappy about being part of Stockton Township because they felt their taxes were not being spent on improvements to their town. So George Crump, an interested resident who served as England’s vice consul to Philadelphia, drew up a proposed charter for self-rule. In the spring of 1874, he and six other residents took this document to Trenton, where the legislature gave its approval. This led to the Borough of Merchantville’s incorporation on May 18, 1874.
Over the past decades Merchantville has continued to thrive and grow. In April 2024, our town celebrates its 150th birthday. The borough today has 3,800 residents and continues to maintain the same friendly charm it had at its founding. At the same time, it looks forward with great optimism to the progress it expects to make in the years to come.
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150th Birthday