Kokomo — Should Kokomo and Howard County officials consider a uni-gov system that would consolidate the operations of the two local entities under one political banner?
That is the next issue the Citizens Committee for Consolidation is set to tackle starting with the Nov. 9 meeting.
The CCC has issued recommendations, to date, on merging the city and county dispatch centers under the control of the sheriff. The proposal suggested with a $1.4 million budget and recommended hiring or contracting with a purchasing agent.
Committee members are seeking comments from the public on merging the two governments.
Uni-gov proposals have included having a single county executive who would appoint the recorder, auditor, treasurer, sheriff, assessors and clerk. That would make county government similar to municipal units of government, where the mayor makes the appointments.
A four-member subcommittee of the CCC, chaired by Don Wilson, appointed by Kokomo, has been working on several proposed reforms as a starting point to begin discussions.
There are three different options being reviewed by the subcommittee. Two of the options include a combined mayor/county executive that would have general oversight of government. That would include the ability to appoint department heads and non-elected officials, and establish a budget.
That plan suggests having three community managers to handle the daily operations of government.
The third option has three community executives that would exercise all the powers of the county commissioners, the Kokomo Board of Public Works and Safety and the town boards of Russiaville and Greentown. There would be one community manager to handle daily operations of the county, city and towns.
All three proposals call for the election of a 12-member county council that would serve as the legislative body. Nine members would be elected from districts and three would be at-large.
Constitutional offices such as the sheriff, clerk, surveyor and coroner would be retained. The treasurer, recorder and auditor would serve as a new board of tax commissioners and would absorb the county and Center Township assessor positions and city controller.
The judicial system remains unchanged in the three proposals. All three would eliminate 17 elected positions, including the 11 township trustee, Center Township Assessor, Howard County Assessor and four council positions.
Howard Eller, a local member of Indiana Farm Bureau, said Tuesday at the CCC meeting there are concerns about going to a single county executive.
He said going to one executive would limit geographic representation for rural areas, noting the three commissioners are elected from a district.
Eller said it would also limit accountability of county offices and input from citizens.
“Can one person handle the volume of work?” he asked.
Eller said input on drainage issues in the county, which is a concern in the agricultural community.
“A lot of office holders in this county are doing a terrific job,” he said. “Howard County is in the forefront when it comes to operating efficiently.”