Merger out, ongoing fire district talks in
NORWICH – The Town of Norwich Board wants locals to examine sharing inter-municipal services and shunned the idea of a Greater Norwich merger by opting out of a state-run government consolidation study initiated by Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Rather than participate in Spitzer’s merger study, the town board passed a resolution at its monthly meeting Monday proposing that community members and leaders from the Town of North Norwich, Norwich, and City of Norwich heat-up what have become cold discussions about creating a three-municipality fire district. If that goes well, Supervisor David C. Law says the three governments could look at combining other services, like health benefit plans, a water sewer authority and youth programs.
In September, a commission appointed by Spitzer handed down a wide-range of consolidation initiatives for several hundred local governments across the state to consider. Spitzer says the goal is to relieve the state’s over-taxed and over-governed residents.
The Town and City of Norwich were asked to look at merging.
As for that request: “We’ve all (town officials) made our positions quite clear that we’re not in favor of a merger,” Law said Monday.
The City of Norwich, fighting a decreasing tax base and limited expansion opportunities, is in favor of participating in Spitzer’s merger study. However, funding and eligibility to join-in hinge on joint support from the town.
While a merger appears out, Town of Norwich Councilman Adam Evans believes there are good starting points, like a fire district plan, to discuss sharing services and cutting cost to taxpayers.
“I think this is a good building block,” Evans said. “We’ve put together what we feel is a very fair proposal that contains what our goals are and what’s beneficial for our area. We can continue working with what we’ve got ... This is the right direction.”
Under the board’s proposal, the Town of North Norwich, Norwich, and the City of Norwich would appoint an equal number of representatives to a committee that would study the scope and feasibility of a Greater Norwich Fire District.
“The goal of said study should be to examine the delivery of quality fire service at the most economical rate for tax payers,” the resolution states.
North Norwich and Norwich currently contract fire service from the city.
North Norwich will vote on the merger study at its meeting Nov. 19.
Rather than participate in Spitzer’s merger study, the town board passed a resolution at its monthly meeting Monday proposing that community members and leaders from the Town of North Norwich, Norwich, and City of Norwich heat-up what have become cold discussions about creating a three-municipality fire district. If that goes well, Supervisor David C. Law says the three governments could look at combining other services, like health benefit plans, a water sewer authority and youth programs.
In September, a commission appointed by Spitzer handed down a wide-range of consolidation initiatives for several hundred local governments across the state to consider. Spitzer says the goal is to relieve the state’s over-taxed and over-governed residents.
The Town and City of Norwich were asked to look at merging.
As for that request: “We’ve all (town officials) made our positions quite clear that we’re not in favor of a merger,” Law said Monday.
The City of Norwich, fighting a decreasing tax base and limited expansion opportunities, is in favor of participating in Spitzer’s merger study. However, funding and eligibility to join-in hinge on joint support from the town.
While a merger appears out, Town of Norwich Councilman Adam Evans believes there are good starting points, like a fire district plan, to discuss sharing services and cutting cost to taxpayers.
“I think this is a good building block,” Evans said. “We’ve put together what we feel is a very fair proposal that contains what our goals are and what’s beneficial for our area. We can continue working with what we’ve got ... This is the right direction.”
Under the board’s proposal, the Town of North Norwich, Norwich, and the City of Norwich would appoint an equal number of representatives to a committee that would study the scope and feasibility of a Greater Norwich Fire District.
“The goal of said study should be to examine the delivery of quality fire service at the most economical rate for tax payers,” the resolution states.
North Norwich and Norwich currently contract fire service from the city.
North Norwich will vote on the merger study at its meeting Nov. 19.
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