MORRISTOWN, N.J. — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners reviewed a draft resolution May 28 urging the State of New Jersey to restore funding for the New Jersey Manufacturers Extension Program, which commissioners were told risks losing both federal and state support.

“The Manufacturers Extension Program is on the block to lose not just its federal funding, but also all of its state funding,” Commissioner Christine Myers said during the board meeting. Myers asked colleagues to review a circulated resolution and consider support for the program, which she said provides technical and workforce services to manufacturers and is headquartered in Morris County.

Why it matters: Commissioners said NJ MEP provides manufacturing support including supply-chain, workforce and technology assistance to firms in the state and that losing it could reduce services available to smaller manufacturers. Commissioner Smith said the county should seek a minimum state appropriation to stabilize the program: “A couple of things. 1, I would say a minimum of 3,000,000 might be the way to deal with that.”

Discussion and next steps: Commissioners debated the language and specificity of the draft resolution, including whether to name a dollar amount. Myers said the draft in circulation focuses on state funding rather than federal funding. Several commissioners said they broadly support the program but asked for more detail before taking formal action. The board did not vote on the resolution at the meeting.

The board directed staff to invite NJ MEP representatives to present to the commissioners and answer detailed questions about the program’s funding, operations and the dollar amounts cited in the draft resolution. Administrators noted the draft resolution was not included in the meeting packet and could be edited before the board takes formal action.

What was said (attribution limited to speakers recorded in the meeting): Commissioner Christine Myers introduced the matter and asked colleagues to review the draft resolution and discuss restoration of state support for NJ MEP. Commissioner Smith proposed a funding floor during the discussion. County Administrator Dina Leary and other commissioners asked for further clarification and invited NJ MEP to meet with the board to provide detail on funding streams and program activities.

No formal motion or vote was recorded on the resolution during the May 28 meeting. Commissioners repeatedly framed the item as a recommendation for the legislature rather than an allocation of county funds.

The board’s next step is to request an on‑site presentation from NJ MEP so commissioners can ask specific questions about request levels, the relationship between state and federal funding streams, and the program’s statewide footprint before deciding whether to adopt the resolution.