Wednesday's guests on the “Mornings UnPHILtered” show were Statesboro City Council members Will Britt from District 3 and Travis Chance from District 5. They came on host Phil Boyum's show to explain the council's decision Tuesday night to halt progress of a consolidation effort of the city's government departments and those of Bulloch County's departments and agencies in the near future.
Boyum explained that consolidating city and county governments is a complicated process. One way to do so is to get both governments to agree to the redistribution of resources and job responsibilities, and then take a proposal to the Georgia Legislature. If legislators agree, it is sent back for votes by city and then county residents, who must vote in favor of consolidation. If passed, consolidation would then proceed.
Britt stated that the Tuesday night action was taken not to kill the idea, but rather because a number on the council didn't believe it was the time to proceed with such a plan. Consolidation should only be done, Chance said, if it would reduce the number of services and agencies the city's residents have to deal with in order to conduct their business and lower government's budget at the same time.
Britt stated that of the seven people running for office in the upcoming city elections, there are at least four different ideas about how consolidation should proceed. He said that once the new members of council are seated, then the city could move ahead with the proposal. Both men talked of how the council's agenda keeps getting changed without proper notification.
Britt and Chance both indicated that this vote was meant to be sign to the Legislature that the city was not ready to move forward with this proposal.
However, both men encouraged county residents who fear being annexed or redistricted to call them. As something like this will probably happen in the future, they said they would like to set county residents fears aside about the negative consequences of any future consolidation effort.
“Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com
Boyum explained that consolidating city and county governments is a complicated process. One way to do so is to get both governments to agree to the redistribution of resources and job responsibilities, and then take a proposal to the Georgia Legislature. If legislators agree, it is sent back for votes by city and then county residents, who must vote in favor of consolidation. If passed, consolidation would then proceed.
Britt stated that the Tuesday night action was taken not to kill the idea, but rather because a number on the council didn't believe it was the time to proceed with such a plan. Consolidation should only be done, Chance said, if it would reduce the number of services and agencies the city's residents have to deal with in order to conduct their business and lower government's budget at the same time.
Britt stated that of the seven people running for office in the upcoming city elections, there are at least four different ideas about how consolidation should proceed. He said that once the new members of council are seated, then the city could move ahead with the proposal. Both men talked of how the council's agenda keeps getting changed without proper notification.
Britt and Chance both indicated that this vote was meant to be sign to the Legislature that the city was not ready to move forward with this proposal.
However, both men encouraged county residents who fear being annexed or redistricted to call them. As something like this will probably happen in the future, they said they would like to set county residents fears aside about the negative consequences of any future consolidation effort.
“Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com