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LANCASTER — Garrard County Fiscal Court demonstrated willingness to explore partial or complete merger with Lancaster at its Monday meeting.
Court members unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would create a commission to study the options for unification, ranging from consolidation of some units to merger of both governments.
The ordinance is rooted in a state law that seeks to “prevent duplication of services, and to promote efficient and economical management” by giving local appointees the right to create a plan for consolidation and voters the power to approve or defeat the proposal.
“We’re here to promote efficiency in government,” Judge-Executive John Wilson said. “I can’t sit here and say that this is the best answer, but I think it behooves us to study it.”
Fiscal Court agreed by giving preliminary approval, but its vote is only the first step in an extensive process.
Both the Fiscal Court and Lancaster City Council must pass the commission-creating ordinance for the group of 20 to 40 members to develop.
In a sign of solidarity, Lancaster Mayor Brenda Powers attended the Fiscal Court meeting and expressed interest in the findings of a potential commission.
“We just need to look at it and see,” she said. “What’s best for our community and our taxpayers is what we need to do.”
However, Powers did not say when or if the City Council will vote on the ordinance, and Wilson said he got mixed responses from council members when he emailed them about the idea.
Some councilmen agreed Monday they are open to discussing the ordinance but need more specifics before deciding how to vote.
“It could be a good thing, I’m not doubting that a bit, but we need more information,” Councilman Chris Davis said.
Councilmen Mike Sutton and Brandon McGlone said they favor listening to the opinions of Wilson and the Fiscal Court but are unsure exactly what the commission would study and how they would feel about it. McGlone also expressed hesitancy about the idea of merged governments, noting that the council would need to know all of the details before discussing such an option.
“Anytime that we can work together and make it cheaper for our taxpayers, that would be great,” he said. “I don’t know if we need a commission to do that.”
Council members Maggie Morris Mick, Jesse Wagoner and Bret Baierlein could not be reached for comment by deadline.
If both the county and city pass the ordinance, the commission must be formed within 60 days. The Fiscal Court would appoint 55 percent of the members, and the City Council would select 45 percent, according to law. The members ideally would include all magistrates and council members, Wilson said.
Once in place, the commission would research options and develop a plan for merger, he said.
The proposal may call for the merger of “all units of city and county government into a charter county form of government” or consolidation “of any agency, subdivision, department, or subdistrict providing any services or performing any functions for a city or county,” including police and fire departments, the statutes state.
Voters would make the ultimate decision during a general election about whether to adopt the plan. But Wilson emphasized that all the proposed ordinance will do is allow both city and county governments to explore possibilities.
“This is like buying a car,” he said. “We want to look at the figures. We want to look under the hood and kick the tires and have no commitment.”
Court members unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would create a commission to study the options for unification, ranging from consolidation of some units to merger of both governments.
The ordinance is rooted in a state law that seeks to “prevent duplication of services, and to promote efficient and economical management” by giving local appointees the right to create a plan for consolidation and voters the power to approve or defeat the proposal.
“We’re here to promote efficiency in government,” Judge-Executive John Wilson said. “I can’t sit here and say that this is the best answer, but I think it behooves us to study it.”
Fiscal Court agreed by giving preliminary approval, but its vote is only the first step in an extensive process.
Both the Fiscal Court and Lancaster City Council must pass the commission-creating ordinance for the group of 20 to 40 members to develop.
In a sign of solidarity, Lancaster Mayor Brenda Powers attended the Fiscal Court meeting and expressed interest in the findings of a potential commission.
“We just need to look at it and see,” she said. “What’s best for our community and our taxpayers is what we need to do.”
However, Powers did not say when or if the City Council will vote on the ordinance, and Wilson said he got mixed responses from council members when he emailed them about the idea.
Some councilmen agreed Monday they are open to discussing the ordinance but need more specifics before deciding how to vote.
“It could be a good thing, I’m not doubting that a bit, but we need more information,” Councilman Chris Davis said.
Councilmen Mike Sutton and Brandon McGlone said they favor listening to the opinions of Wilson and the Fiscal Court but are unsure exactly what the commission would study and how they would feel about it. McGlone also expressed hesitancy about the idea of merged governments, noting that the council would need to know all of the details before discussing such an option.
“Anytime that we can work together and make it cheaper for our taxpayers, that would be great,” he said. “I don’t know if we need a commission to do that.”
Council members Maggie Morris Mick, Jesse Wagoner and Bret Baierlein could not be reached for comment by deadline.
If both the county and city pass the ordinance, the commission must be formed within 60 days. The Fiscal Court would appoint 55 percent of the members, and the City Council would select 45 percent, according to law. The members ideally would include all magistrates and council members, Wilson said.
Once in place, the commission would research options and develop a plan for merger, he said.
The proposal may call for the merger of “all units of city and county government into a charter county form of government” or consolidation “of any agency, subdivision, department, or subdistrict providing any services or performing any functions for a city or county,” including police and fire departments, the statutes state.
Voters would make the ultimate decision during a general election about whether to adopt the plan. But Wilson emphasized that all the proposed ordinance will do is allow both city and county governments to explore possibilities.
“This is like buying a car,” he said. “We want to look at the figures. We want to look under the hood and kick the tires and have no commitment.”
