PRINCETON — Their Patoka Township counterparts voted last week not to proceed further in exploring a merger of city and township government, and Princeton's Common Council weighed in Monday as well, voting not to spend any more money pursuing the idea.
Common Council President Jan Ballard said he asked to have the issue on Monday night's agenda, even after the township board's Sept. 11 vote killed the chance for it to move to a voter referendum this fall, because he wants to make sure it's clear where the council stands.
Ballard made note that the township advisory board's action came before there was any public discussion about the issue and before the council cast a vote. He said he wanted to make sure the issue was addressed Monday, considering "the amount of money spent on something that is absolutely going no place."
"No one has approached me about being for the merger," he said.
Patoka Township resident Cecil "Bob" Allen, who quizzed Mayor Brad Schmitt about the issue last month, reiterated, "People in Patoka Township don't want it," and asked how much money the city spent on a study exploring the concept.
Council member Sheri Greene said some $80,725.43 in claims for the work have been submitted.
"We could have fixed a lot of sidewalks with that," Allen replied.
"Yeah, $80,000 is a lot of money," Greene said, noting that the council wouldn't have known about the project had member not withheld payment on a claim earlier this summer until they received information. "We would like to assure that the bleeding of the money from the city level stops," she said.
"This is our stance at this point," agreed council member Greg Wright.
Councilman Jim Maglis, who was out of town when the other council members were briefed on the merger study's details, said he's received no information about the study other than a pamphlet, and didn't feel he would have enough personal information to make a decision.
"It's a dead issue," Ballard said after the unanimous (Maglis abstaining) vote was cast.
The mayor was present for the city's board of public works and safety meeting and the Princeton Fire Territory meeting Monday, but left prior to the council meeting to attend another engagement.
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