2. For the purposes of this act:
"Absorbing municipality" means a municipality into which a contiguous sparsely populated municipality situate in the same county intends to be consolidated pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1995, c.376 (C.40:43-66.78 et seq.).
"Director" means the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.
"Consolidated municipality" means the single new municipality that results from an affirmative consolidation effort pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1995, c.376 (C.40:43-66.78 et seq.).
"Sparsely populated municipality" means a municipality with a population of less than 500 persons according to the most recent federal decennial census.