Schley Consolidation Committee meets

Local News

October 19, 2009

Robert Griffin

ELLAVILLE — The Ellaville-Schley County consolidation committee voted unanimously to move forward in looking at the feasibility of consolidation of the County and City governments, at its meeting Thursday night. The group met under stormy conditions at the commissioners’ meeting room in Ellaville where a sparse crowd of three people listened in as the committee discussed the better and worse of consolidation of the governments.

Consolidation is a word that is being heard in many smaller and mid-sized communities these days as governments are looking for ways to save money any way they can. “In looking at the other counties that have done this, their greatest savings was in duplication of services,” said Committee member Jim Fulks.

The main issue that the committee wanted to ease the public’s mind on was if the consolidation does go through, then their day to day lives would not change. “I have had many people come to me,” said County Commissioner Greg Barineau, “and everyone needs to know that their normal day to day events in dealing with the government will not change with consolidation.”

The committee then entertained a motion, made by Barineau, which instructed the committee to move forward in discussing consolidation. The motion was approved unanimously, and will allow the committee to move forward in further discussions about the change. The next item that will be hashed out at the next meeting will be the how the consolidated government will be structured.

The next meeting of the Schley County consolidation committee will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 at the commissioners’ board room. It is open to the public as well.