EVANSVILLE —The two bodies responsible for finalizing and putting a proposal to merge local governments in front of voters as early as next year will hold the first joint workshop Thursday in the Civic Center.
Vanderburgh County Commission President Lloyd Winnecke and Evansville City Council President B.J. Watts previously asserted that holding joint sessions is the only way to work out their proposals. State law requires both boards to pass identical plans for a referendum that allows voters to decide if city and county governments should merge.
The Thursday sessions, which are scheduled weekly until June 9, will be held in Room 301of the Civic Center and start at 5:30 p.m.
"We're going to pull a conference table into the council chambers right in front, Winnecke said. "We're going to get chairs around for every member on the city council and the three commissioners and our respective legal representatives, and we're going to discuss modifications based on the input we've heard from the public."
The two bodies held a three-hour public hearing in March and took suggestions and heard concerns of more than 40 people. Winnecke said the coming sessions are workshops so the commissioners and council can settle their differences before the next official public meeting June 30. He he said audience members also will have time to address the officials.
"This is literally going to be a workshop, but since it is a public meeting, I would encourage anyone who attends to say whatever they want at the conclusion of our workshop because I suspect whatever they say may influence what we do in the next workshop."
There are plenty the two groups need to work out.
Some of hot-buttons issue to arise since a citizen reorganization committee put forth their plan this year include the size of a common council, the scope of executive power, concerns about taxes and the effect consolidation would have on law enforcement.
The current plan calls for an 11-member common council made up of representatives from eight districts and three at-large positions. Several opponents of the current plan objected to the proposed "strong mayor" system, arguing whoever becomes assumes that office under the proposed government wields too much power.
Evansville Police Chief Brad Hill and the president of the Fraternal Order of Police D.J. Thompson have also questioned the proposal to consolidate all of the new government's law enforcement under the power of the elected sheriff. The man who holds that post currently, Eric Williams, supports the idea.
One of two of Winnecke's colleagues Stephen Melcher proclaimed he would not approve any plan without a so-called rejection threshold. Under such language, plan requires independent approval from city and non-city residents. The current proposal calls for a simple countywide referendum. However, both the city council's attorney and the county commissioners' attorney concluded the final proposal cannot include a threshold unless the consolidation process is started over.
The Darmstadt Town Council also opposes the current proposal. The town sent a resolution to the commissioners and the city council last month expressing "grave" concerns that the proposal means higher taxes for its residents. Several non-city residents also argued against higher taxes.
Winnecke said he hoped the public appreciates having a view of how a potential agreement is reached.
"People use the word transparent," he said. "This is going to be very transparent."