The Jackson Township Council has approved aplan to begin merging Jackson Fire Districts 2 and 3, advancing a long-discussed consolidation that officials say will cut costs and streamline emergency response as the township continues to grow. The proposal now goes to the state Local Finance Board, which must sign off before the merger can take effect.

The vote clears one of the final local hurdles in a consolidation effort that fire leaders have pursued for years. Supporters say combining the two districts will reduce duplication in administration, purchasing and vehicle maintenance while improving coordination across a township whose call volume keeps climbing.

Jackson’s population has grown by about 5,000 people over the past decade to an estimated 61,000, and fire duties are currently split among multiple separate districts. Each district has its own five-member board of paid commissioners that sets budgets and makes hiring and policy decisions.

The action follows the February 21 fire elections, when voters approved the 2026 budgets in all local fire districts. Those spending plans totaled more than $16 million combined.

Consolidation would also change how the merged district is governed. Once districts combine, commissioner elections move to the November general ballot and the annual budget no longer goes before voters, a shift officials say would prevent low-turnout February elections from threatening fire funding. District 2 had already absorbed the former District 1 in an earlier consolidation.

Meanwhile, District 4 will remain independent. Commissioner Raymond Torres Jr. echoed that position said consolidation would benefit the other districts financially while raising rates for District 4 residents with little offsetting savings.