Hopefully, the consolidation of financial systems in Stone Harbor and Avalon is the first step in overall consolidation. It is ludicrous that the barrier islands don't, at a minimum, share emergency services. They need to eventually completely merge into single governmental units. The money that is wasted in the Wildwoods and Avalon/Stone Harbor on separate police, fire and ambulance services is staggering. Petty ego and control issues seem to be the only reason to avoid consolidation of services. In case nobody looked at a calendar lately, it is 2014, not 1914.