The members of the Citizens Committee on Consolidation took control of the first meeting from Howard County commissioners after officials with the city of Kokomo and the county got into a heated discussion.
With Commissioner Dave Trine and Randy Morris, director of operations for the city, discussing the competing consolidation proposals from the two entities, committee member Rick Homkes asked that control of the meeting be given to newly elected committee president Isabella Chism.
Now in charge of meetings, Chism said she wants the committee members to work as a team for the best of all Howard County.
She continued by saying the committee members would review recommendations from the public.
Chism asked members to review and try to understand information provided to them regarding consolidation of city and county dispatch and MS4 operations. She asked information be shared among all committee members, who will next meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Howard County Government Center.
The committee was formed by the commissioners in April, at the same time the Kokomo Common Council passed a resolution to form a committee under the state’s Government Modernization Act. The commissioners have tabled the city’s resolution, having taken no action to either approve or reject it.
At the start of the meeting, Trine said the committee is a perfect reflection of the community. He said the purpose was to make recommendations on consolidation of government services and efficient use of tax dollars.
Morris read a statement from Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight that was critical of the process used to form the committee.
Goodnight thanked the committee members but went on to state he was skeptical about events that happened since he proposed consolidation during his State of the City address in March.
He said he found it unusual that the commissioners selected the date and time for the first meeting that conflicted with an already-scheduled event. He added that a request to change the starting time was denied.
Goodnight said Kokomo was not included in the administrative process used to select the committee, such as the number of members and representation. He said although Kokomo has half of the population of the county it has only one-third of the membership.
He renewed his argument that Kokomo, Russiaville and Greentown residents pay their city and town taxes and a share of county taxes as do residents in non-incorporated areas of the county.
Trine didn’t directly respond to Goodnight’s comments but said the commissioners wanted the people to determine what was best and not politicians.
“Politicians today are ramming down our throats what is best for us,” he said. “We want to hear from you, the people of Howard County.”
Trine said the commissioners represent everyone in Howard County.
“After this meeting, we want to step back and let you guide the ship,” he said. “We want you to take your time and make informed decisions.”
When committee members were told they could consider all recommendations from the public, including township governments, that got an immediate response from Center Township Trustee Gene Lushin.
“The townships were excluded,” he said of the committee membership. “This group has no authority to review township budgets.”
Commissioner Bill Thompson said it was possible that the 11 township trustees could appoint three members to the committee.
“That’s a little late,” Lushin said.
County Attorney Larry Murrell said this is an exploratory committee that will come up with several recommendations and then government officials will determine what steps are needed to be taken for implementation.
He said it was possible the committee could eventually serve as the study committee to consider consolidation of local government entities as required by the state’s Government Modernization Act.