AMERICUS — The Board of Sumter County Commissioners allowed another opportunity to study consolidation pass them by.

At Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Board, commissioners heard a presentation by Dave Wills, who works for the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, concerning the consolidation process. Wills was chairman of the Webster County Board of Commissioners when the voters decided to consolidate.

Following Wills’ presentation, commissioners asked questions and generally discussed the issue of consolidation after which Commissioner Rick Davis made the motion to request from the state Legislature a charter commission study on consolidation.

Chairman Brent Williams, who can neither make nor second motions, looked around the Board table for a second, which never came. Davis’ motion died there.

The County has been discussing the possibility of consolidating its government for the past couple of years. The City of Americus is for a consolidation plan; however, several hurdles are necessary first.

A charter commission study would reveal useful information about the governments, how services are delivered and how more efficiently the governments could operate. If, after a period of study, the governments chose to move forward with consolidation, an election would have to be called to allow the people to decide the final question.

The Times-Recorder polled each county commissioner Wednesday about the issue.

Brent Williams, who has served on the Board for six years, said, “It’s something I’ve worked on since my first year; it needs to be studied. There’s too much information that could be obtained and a study needs to be done. We would learn so much about the two governments to be more efficient and deliver services in a more efficient manner.”

Commissioner Al Hurley, a commissioner for 10.5 years, said, “I’m not for or against consolidation. My thing is to educate the public and the commissioners. I’m not for creating legislation for doing the study because once the ball gets rolling there’s certain things you can’t stop. I want the whole county to be a part of the decision making, without creating a charter to do the study.

“We can do the study first and then do legislation if the study is acceptable. I can’t see doing it before; that’s putting the cart before the horse.

“No other county our size in the state has done it. Big ones have and little ones have. I just want to make sure it’s good for everybody in the county.”

Andrea Brooks, on the Board since 2005, told the Times-Recorder, “For Sumter County at this time, many of the services delivery things could be worked out without going to consolidation. If an independent study could be done, it could be without legislation.”

Randy Howard, on the Board since 2006, said, “I’m not opposed to a study and not seriously for or against consolidation.

“We should first have some presentations before the public ... to give folks a better understanding. There are only seven counties in the state that have done this ...

“Once you start this, you can’t stop.

“What we want to do before the end of the year is to have people come in and answer questions from the public. Then if we decide that’s the way to go, we go.

“We’ve got to look at other things as well, such as taxes and other issues ...

“If consolidation would save taxes and show more efficient ways to provide services, I would be all for it.

“Last night was only the second presentation I’ve heard. A couple of more people from UGA (the University of Georgia) can come down and present.

“Another concern is other smaller cities seem to be left out. They need to be considered also in the presentations.

“I want to be cautious and go slow before I vote on it, just like I do with everything else. I want to feel good about it.”

Commissioner Rick Davis could not be reached for comment by press time.

Some in the audience at Tuesday’s meeting felt they were not allowed to speak.

Harold D. Jacobs, a citizen from northeastern Sumter County, said he thought (chairman) Williams “handled citizen comment very poorly” when a citizen wanted to ask questions of Wills.

“He introduced Mr. Wills but never said why he was there. Many didn’t know,” Jacobs said.

“We’re always told as citizens to be informed,” Jacobs said. “Here’s a gentleman trying to get some additional information from Mr. Wills and is refused the opportunity by Mr. Williams. He was told they should have asked questions or made comments during the citizen comment period.

“I’m very disappointed the way Brent Williams handled the situation. This was a new man with new information and the public was not allowed to ask questions,” he said, adding that after the citizen asked a question and was cut off the second time, several people left the meeting.

Larry Odom, another citizen in attendance, was asked his impression of the meeting.

“I think Mr. Williams did a fine job. I think that if there was anything wrong involved, it is Mr. Howard, Mr. Hurley and Ms. Brooks not agreeing to look into it (consolidation) and let the people have an opinion. Mr. Wills explained himself very well. As for Plains, DeSoto, Leslie, Andersonville, they wouldn’t have to be on board but could come on board at a later date.

“I don’t understand why they didn’t go forward with it.

“Mr. Davis brought up again that the City and County are rowing in opposite directions. He thought it was time to do it now ... ”

Williams said that the citizen comment period of the meeting came prior to Wills’ presentation to the Board and that’s why people were not allowed to make comments or ask questions afterward.