MARS — Borough council set a public hearing date to hear discussion in regards to the potential Mars/Adams Township merger.

During its meeting June 15, council passed a motion to advertise a public hearing date of July 6. The merger, if agreed on by both parties and passed by voter referendum, will bring together Mars and Adams Township as a single municipality, tentatively dubbed Mars Township.

“The discussion will take place at 7 and then be followed by a vote from the borough council,” G. Michael Fleming, council president, said.

After hearing comments from the public, council will vote on whether to move forward with the merger. If approved by council and Adams Township supervisors, who are set to vote on June 22, the issue will be put on the ballot to be voted on by the public in November.

“That specific topic is simply to move the merger question onto the ballot, by which the voters can decide what they want to do,” Fleming said.

If the merger vote passes all votes, the expected date of consummation is Jan. 1, 2028.