Pro-consolidation voices heard at forum

As people spoke about Macon-Bibb County consolidation at a public forum Thursday, the overall attitude wasn’t whether it should happen, but rather what form it should take.

About 50 people turned out to a forum at North Macon Park for the Bibb County legislative delegation’s final of three consolidation meetings.

Virtually all the residents who spoke on the issue said they favor the concept as a whole. However, many of the issues that would need to be resolved if consolidation moves forward -- such as creating tax districts in the city and the county, and if a sheriff or police chief would serve as the top law enforcement officer of a merged government -- were up for debate by residents.

County resident Larry Witt, the lone person at the meeting who said he would vote against consolidation, said he thinks unincorporated residents would have to pick up the burden of the city’s debts.

“The city of Macon is not able to figure out its finances,” Witt told the crowd. “All they want is money. Why do we have to go bail them out? ... I moved to the county to stop paying taxes to the city.”

But city resident Nancy Terrill, who favors consolidation, noted that the city’s population makes up two-thirds of the entire county and that city residents are paying for services is both areas.

“I believe in fairness,” she said.

State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, one of five legislators at Thursday’s meeting, said he has received about 500 responses to a survey he e-mailed to constituents. About 80 percent of the responses favored consolidation, he said.

Peake’s survey also asked about the optimal size of the new government’s legislative body, whether the new government should have a strong mayor and who should serve as the top law enforcement officer, among other questions.

Peake said more county residents have responded to the survey than city residents, and most favor a council that has seven members or fewer. He said the results also indicate that the council and the mayor should be equal in power, that all elected officials should have term limits, that elections be non-partisan and that an elected sheriff should be the top law enforcement official.

Peake said the responses are consistent with the results of a study by Mercer University on Macon-Bibb County consolidation.

“People want a smaller-sized government,” he said.

Peake said he thinks that if residents vote in favor of consolidation, a new government could be put into place within 18 months of the vote.

Thursday’s forum also provided the opportunity to ask legislators questions about the issue. Former Macon-Bibb County Fire Chief Jimmy Hartley asked lawmakers what would happen to the benefits and pension plans of retired employees of the city and county. Peake told him that those employees would be moved to a new plan.

State Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon, said in response to another question that attorneys are still examining tax issues, but that previously existing debts from Macon or Bibb County couldn’t automatically be canceled should a new entity be formed.

“We cannot legally dissolve those obligations,” he said.

Staton also said residents in the portion of Macon that’s inside Jones County would be de-annexed should consolidation pass.

Peake said when and if consolidation comes to a public vote, city residents essentially would be voting twice on the issue, since the city and the county must pass the issue separately. City residents would vote in the city referendum as well as the county referendum.

Former Macon City Councilman Theron Ussery said he thinks the recent vote in favor of a special purpose local option sales tax shows that people are ready for consolidation.

“People are ready for a change,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer. In the long run, it’s going to save us a lot of money.”

To contact writer Phillip Ramati, call 744-4334.

This story was originally published November 18, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Pro-consolidation voices heard at forum."