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Watson: Merger a robust issue: Mayor plans to continue to advocate for unification(Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jan. 5--Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson called for more discussion of merging city and county governments Thursday, saying having a unified government would help streamline projects and move the community forward. "For the past three years, I've been beating this drum by myself," Watson told about 400 residents at Thursday's "state of the city" address at the Executive Inn Rivermont. "But I'm going to continue to beat it until someone runs me off." Watson campaigned on government unification when he ran for mayor in 2004. To illustrate the need for merged governments, he cited statistics from a peer communities study that showed Owensboro at or near the bottom in business formation, college enrollment and people with bachelor's degrees. "I think we can all agree those numbers need to change," Watson said. According to a poll conducted by Voter Consumer Research, a Washington, D.C., firm, 89 percent of polled residents are aware of the merger issue, Watson said. "So much for, 'Nobody's talking about unification,' " Watson said. Watson said 60 percent of residents polled favor unification, while 36 percent oppose merging governments. When asked if they wanted the issue put to a community vote, 77 percent strongly agreed to putting merger on the ballot. Seventeen percent somewhat agreed, 2 percent strongly disagreed and 4 percent somewhat disagreed, Watson said. "The discussion is out there and will continue to be out there as long as I'm here," Watson said. " I believe we need to continue the dialogue." The community could move forward with a one-government "all-star team," Watson said. With both city and county government pursuing a long list of projects, Watson asked how "in the world will we be able to manage this growth with two CEOs and two boards of directors?" "We need to tackle them with an all-star team that's ready to go." After the speech, Watson said he would like to enlist a consultant who is working with other communities interested in merged government. "Then we'll plan a strategy that will involve public education about unification to make people feel as comfortable as they can be or want to be." For merger to go forward, both city commissioners and Daviess Fiscal Court would have to pass ordinances creating a merger charter commission. The commission would be made up of an equal number of appointees from the cities and county. Watson said he will advocate for a charter commission. "I'll meet with my commissioners individually and hope to meet with county government," Watson said. City Commissioners Al Mattingly Jr. and David Johnson both said they would consider such an ordinance if it were put before them. "I think the commissioners will follow the mayor's lead," Mattingly said. "That is one of the planks he ran on, and he deserves the courtesy to see it played out, one way or another." Johnson said the merger idea "needs to win or lose on its merits. It doesn't need to pass or fail based on a campaign by anyone." Johnson said residents "have to decide if it's going to be beneficial to our community and if the community wants it." Commissioner Candance Castlen Brake said she supports creating a charter commission. "I think it's definitely time to let the people in the community be heard on it," Brake said. "I pledge my support to an ordinance that will allow us to move forward." Commissioner Cathy Hines Armour said when she was campaigning, people seemed very interested in the issue. "That was usually the first question they asked me: 'How do you feel about merger?' " Armour said. Armour would support an ordinance to form a charter commission. "I think (the public is) interested in talking about it," Armour said. "I think they want an opportunity to vote on it." Judge-Executive Reid Haire said county officials would not push unification themselves. "I don't find any support for the notion of Fiscal Court taking any initiative on the (subject) of merger," Haire said. " In speaking with the commissioners, any move to form a charter commission lacks a majority of support on Fiscal Court. In fact, I don't find any support." County commissioners would need an indication of public support before considering an ordinance to form a charter commission, Haire said. "At least two of the commissioners feel if merger is the order of the day, if merger is to happen, they'd prefer to see it ... come from the bottom up (instead of) from the top down," Haire said. Brake said movement by city commissioners might prompt people in favor of having a vote on merger to voice their support to Fiscal Court. "Perhaps when the city government moves in that direction, that will create a groundswell," Brake said. Copyright (c) 2007, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |