Kokomo — The Citizens’ Committee for Consolidation voted to endorse the creation of a new committee under state guidelines to take over the work of consolidating government in Howard County.
The vote endorses a 2010 resolution passed by the Kokomo Common Council that calls for a committee to reshape how government operates under the state’s Government Modernization Act. In 2010, that resolution was forwarded to county officials, who took no action. Instead, the Howard County commissioners created the CCC to guide the merger of government services.
The CCC’s vote Monday was a recommendation to the commissioners that they move forward with the city’s resolution.
By making the recommendation, several CCC members said the future of their committee is unknown.
The city is only looking for unification between the city and county. The current group also includes Greentown and Russiaville. Those towns, according to the city’s 2010 resolution, would be excluded.
Isabella Chism, chairman of the CCC, expressed support for the towns’ inclusion in the discussions.
“The CCC was formed to find out what taxpayers want and to relay information to elected officials,” Chism said at Monday’s meeting of the CCC. “Everything was on the table.”
If the commissioners adopt the city’s resolution, both governmental entities would then have 30 days to appoint a new committee of at least six people to begin work on a unification plan.
The unification plan has to be finalized one year after the committee is formed and a referendum vote is required to adopt or reject the proposal.
CCC member John Floyd questioned the commissioners’ request of the committee to turn over the task of consolidation to another group. Chism said their decision is to recommend the new committee or not.
She said, if approved, the new committee would develop one proposal instead of the piece-meal fashion of the CCC.
CCC member Donnie Wilson said the dynamics have changed since the committee was formed in 2010.
“It was crafted by different commissioners,” he said. “This group of commissioners wants us to go in a different direction.
“The old mindset was to do it piece by piece,” Wilson said. “The new mind set is one overall plan to take to the voters.”
Chism said there were advantages and disadvantages to both proposals.
Floyd said, “This is no small task to develop a plan in a year. Not the work of a volunteer committee. You’re talking about a lot of time.”
Dick Davis, CCC vice president, suggested the group put together its own plan rather than turning the task over to a new committee. He said the CCC could then get reaction from the public.
Regardless of which committee does the work of forming a plan, Wilson said, it will be a challenge to get the public to endorse it.
“You can’t do enough [public relations] to convince the county residents,” he said.
After the committee voted to endorse a new committee, Chism said the CCC still exists.
“I don’t think we’re done,” she said.
At the June 13 meeting, members will begin discussions on how to get the public involved in a unification plan through roundtable meetings.