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Radcliff to hold town hall meeting on unification The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

Article originally posted to The News-Enterprise Web site: http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/radcliff-hold-town-hall-meeting-unification

By Marty Finley
Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 4:07 pm (Updated: August 10, 6:26 am)

Radcliff is wading back into the waters of unified government.

Mayor J.J. Duvall has organized a town hall meeting 6 p.m. Aug. 27 at Colvin Community Center with Hank V. Savitch serving as the guest speaker.

Savitch, a professor of urban and public affairs at the University of Louisville, published an analysis last year of the merger of Louisville and Jefferson County governments into a consolidated metro government in 2003. Savitch’s study, which was commissioned by state Rep. Darryl Owens of Louisville, found the merger failed to accelerate job growth and economic development as promised and was unsuccessful in streamlining government services.

Owens, an opponent of merged government, commissioned the study as a supplement for the task force appointed by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer to study the effectiveness of consolidated government in Kentucky’s largest city.

Duvall said he wants to present an alternative view on unification from an expert who has studied consolidated governments for years and can present quantifiable data rather than opinion.

“He has told me his opinion won’t factor in,” he said of Savitch.

Anyone in a leadership position asked to vote on creating a unification commission should attend the meeting or recuse themselves from the process, Duvall said.

In addition to the Louisville report, Savitch is a former co-editor at the Journal of Urban Affairs and former president of the urban section of the American Political Science Association. He also has published nearly a dozen books or monographs on urban development, public policy and regional governance, according to Radcliff.

Radcliff City Council approved a resolution opting out of all formal discussions about unified local government after publicly challenging Hardin County United, the volunteer organization that drafted the report on the merits of unification.

In one exchange last August during a forum at Meadow View Elementary School, Duvall and Radcliff Councilman Edward Palmer asked for demographic information of the group surveyed by HCU about unified government to determine where the majority of respondents lived. Palmer said this information was pertinent to city leaders because they needed to know how Radcliff residents responded.

Luke Schmidt, a consultant for HCU, sent the survey to more than 100 community leaders across a cross section of fields, including elected officials, educators, plant managers and agricultural representatives. The study found roughly 90 percent of respondents believed unified government should be studied.

Schmidt said he promised respondents the information would remain confidential and refused to release the documents, which furthered the divide between HCU and Radcliff.

Following Radcliff’s decision to opt out of unification, Palmer and other council members expressed interest in hosting its own town hall meetings and public forums on unification as a means of due diligence but also to ensure HCU cannot use their lack of action as a weapon.

Duvall said Savitch’s study of Louisville government is relevant to the discussion in Hardin County because HCU has pointed to Louisville as an example of a successful merger.

Duvall said proponents of the Louisville merger and HCU also have argued the same points when promoting unification, including an expanded state and national profile, the ability to speak with one voice and an increase in economic development.

“I think we need to hear a different view that’s not opinion or (not) someone that’s a paid consultant but is based on facts and numbers,” he said.

The meeting has attracted attention farther south. Elizabethtown Mayor Tim Walker said he is reading Savitch’s study and has forwarded it to Elizabethtown City Council.

“I plan on being at the meeting on Aug. 27 and I hope the council will be too,” Walker said.

Elizabethtown has taken no action to opt out of unified government but the majority of the council has been critical of the plan.

Hardin Circuit Judge Ken Howard, chairman of the HCU governance subcommittee, has said either Elizabethtown or Radcliff must opt in for unification to be viable.

Hardin Fiscal Court is scheduled to hear first reading of an ordinance Tuesday to establish a unification review commission, whose members would be appointed by participating governments and be tasked with drafting a charter Hardin County residents would vote on.

Should the county approve the creation of the commission, HCU would move to the six cities requesting their participation.

Marty Finley can be reached at (270) 505-1762 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (270) 505-1762      end_of_the_skype_highlightingormfinley@thenewsenterprise.com.

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County to tackle first reading on unification review commission The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

 

By Marty Finley
Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 3:57 am (Updated: August 9, 3:48 pm)

Hardin Fiscal Court takes the fate of county unification into its hands starting Tuesday.

Hardin Judge-Executive Harry Berry said the first reading of an ordinance establishing a unification review commission tentatively is scheduled for Tuesday’s meeting of Hardin Fiscal Court at the H.B. Fife Courthouse in Elizabethtown. Approval of the commission would put in motion the mechanism to draft a charter for unified local government.

Hardin County United, the volunteer organization lobbying for the commission, appeared before Fiscal Court for a second time in June, but no formal action has been taken as magistrates gather information and hear from constituents.

HCU wants to present the charter to Hardin County voters by November 2014, and a plan only can be issued by the committee, a 20-to-40-member body appointed by participating governments. The appointment of the commission is not a vote in favor of unification, but creates a designated body to flesh out what unification would look like in Hardin County, HCU officials said.

Under state law, the county and at least one city must partner to form a unified government.

Ken Howard, chairman of the HCU governance subcommittee, said Wednesday he has been pleasantly surprised by responses he has heard. HCU officials installed an online mechanism allowing residents to send their opinions directly to local officials, and Howard estimated more than 200 individuals have sent responses in support of the commission to county officials.

The biggest hurdle, Howard said, is educating residents the commission’s purpose. Once learning the commission would give them a chance to vote on unification, support was generated for the endeavor, he said.

But input from county magistrates contacted by The News-Enterprise was mixed.

Magistrate Doug Goodman, whose district represents parts of northern Hardin County, said he has received negative feedback about unification from hundreds compared to small pockets of support.

“It’s just not a good feeling in the north end of the county right now regarding unification,” he said.

Goodman said he is unsure how he will cast his vote for the commission, but he said he fears Radcliff and northern Hardin County may get the “short end of the stick” if a unified government materializes. The county already has attempted a commissioner form of government, which he declared a “flop,” and he said unified government likely would leave parts of the county without proper representation.

Even now, he said, the northern part of the county has failed to secure its rightful share, including state funding for infrastructure improvements tied to the Base Realignment and Closure initiative and a county recycling trailer lobbied for by Goodman, Magistrate Roy Easter and Radcliff City Council.

“We got all this BRAC money and we got pennies in Radcliff,” he said. “We’re sitting right on top of Fort Knox.”

Radcliff Mayor J.J. Duvall has said he will release details today on a public unification forum hosted by the city later this month. Radcliff has been the most openly critical of unification since HCU introduced the plan, and the council approved a formal resolution last year opting out of any future unification plans or discussions.

Magistrate Fred Clem declined to comment on his decision or views about the commission in advance of the first reading, but he said the input he has received from constituents has been decidedly mixed with a larger percentage speaking negatively about unification during face-to-face conversations.

Magistrate Lisa Williams, on the other hand, said she has received an overwhelming share of supportive responses regarding unification, particularly from business owners, Hardin County Chamber of Commerce members and other economically minded people.

“I have been swamped with responses,” she said.

Williams expressed excitement for the possible benefits of unification, including an expanded profile as one of the largest cities in the state.

“Anything that creates jobs, I’m in favor of,” she said.

Williams also believes county officials should make the “progressive” choice of forming the commission and allowing voters to have the final say on unification.

“I think it’s our duty to at least move to the next phase and draft a document,” she said.

Magistrate Garry King said he was “noncommittal” about the creation of the commission but said most of the constituents who have contacted him by email or spoken to him in person have been critical of the idea. He said Tuesday should be interesting.

“I really don’t know right now how it’s going to go,” he said of the vote. “It’s going to surprise me. I think it could be close.”

The initial push for unification by HCU was delayed when officials found a flaw in state legislation that could entrap cities within a unified government even if they voted against it.

With the aid of state legislators representing Hardin County, HCU successfully lobbied to change state law governing unification to ensure cities would have a right to opt out of a unified government if the majority of their residents rejected the charter at the polls. The law also has improved in that it has created a voting bloc for rural Hardin County, Howard said, meaning unification must receive majority support in unincorporated Hardin County to pass.

Howard said he is not concerned about Fiscal Court’s vote.

“I trust our elected representatives to make an informed decision that works best for everybody,” he said.

Marty Finley can be reached at (270) 505-1762 or mfinley@thenewsenterprise.com

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Central Kentucky County, City to Decide if Merger Talks Continue WKYU (Western KY Univ. NPR station)

Leaders in Hardin County and Elizabethtown will decide in coming weeks whether to pursue merger talks. Ordinances establishing a unification review commission must pass Hardin County Fiscal Court and the Elizabethtown City Council.

“By law, the minimum legal requirement is that we have approval to form the commission by the county court and the largest city in the county, which in this case, would be Elizabethtown, says consultant Luke Schmidt.

If approved by those two bodies, ordinances would eventually go before each of the five remaining incorporated cities in Hardin county, which include Radcliff, Sonora, Upton, Vine Grove, and West Point.

Voters will ultimately decide if city and county governments merge when the question is put on the 2014 ballot.  In the meantime, the unification review commission will develop a plan for merged government that will deal with issues such as tax rates and the makeup of a metro council.  The commission will consist of 20 to 40 citizens appointed by the participating governments.

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Unification back on the table The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

HCU logo_3Article originally posted to The News-Enterpise Web site http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/unification-back-table

By Marty Finley
Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 1:36 am (Updated: June 3, 9:45 am)

The call for a unification review commission may have been quiet in recent months, but Hardin County United is ready to resume its push

After successfully lobbying for changes in state law regarding approval requirements for unified city/county government, HCU officials plan to reconnect with the seven local municipalities. Its goal is to secure support for forming a commission and appointing members to draft a unification plan and charter to be presented to voters by November 2014.

No dates have been scheduled, but Ken Howard, chairman of the HCU governance subcommittee, said he believes it will try to start scheduling meetings this month — beginning with Hardin Fiscal Court.

A unified local government in Kentucky requires participation of the county.

“It just makes logical sense to start with Fiscal Court,” Howard said.

Luke Schmidt, a consultant for HCU, said officials will approach the county and six cities with a short update on the merits of unification. The organization argues it would allow the county to leverage the size of its population to improve its profile at state and national levels, boosting its competitiveness in the global economy.

Howard and Schmidt also have argued a unified government would streamline government functions by eliminating duplicate  services.

Schmidt said HCU plans to update officials on changes in state law and how those would affect Hardin County.

“We want to make sure they understand the ramifications of it,” Schmidt said.

Several local officials, Hardin Fiscal Court in particular, were reluctant to form a commission when first approached by HCU because of ambiguity surrounding sovereignty of a city’s vote. HCU suspended its campaign to ensure a city would not be dissolved into a unified government if a majority of its residents voted against a unification charter.

County legislators, led by Rep. Jimmie Lee and Sen. Dennis Parrett, introduced new language to the Kentucky General Assembly, which moved through the general session with unanimous support.

Howard said the changes in state law put old concerns to rest but also provide Kentucky a better piece of legislation because the new law includes a safeguard that is fair to everyone. Howard said if unincorporated portions of the county reject unification during a referendum, the unification plan would fail to pass.

“I think that’s really important,” he said. “It can’t be pockets of support.”

Schmidt and Howard said HCU also plans to create an online presence to provide residents an avenue to share opinions on unification with elected officials.

If cities are open to the idea, HCU will propose ordinances to create a commission and appoint members. Inclusion in the commission does not lead to a merger, Schmidt said, because voters must decide on unification at the polls.

Howard said HCU hopes to have a commission in place to allow plenty of time for members to work on a plan before the 2014 election. A plan can take one to two years to put together, depending on the community.

“There is a large amount of work that needs to be done to put a plan together,” Schmidt said.

But Schmidt argued the commission’s formal deliberations are the only way to know what a unified structure in Hardin County would look like. During the first push for unification, residents asked a slew of questions, wondering how taxes would be structured and public safety impacted by a unified government.

“All good questions,” Schmidt said. “But we can’t answer them because we don’t have the commission.”

Radcliff Councilman Edward Palmer attended a recent HCU meeting and said he wants Radcliff to hold its own forums on unification to gather input. Radcliff is the only city in the county to formally opt out of the commission and Palmer said he did not want HCU to be able to use the city’s decision as firepower when arguing for unification.

Marty Finley can be reached at (270) 505-1762

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Hardin Co. Merger Proponents Say New Bill Should Ease Residents’ Concerns WFPL-FM (Louisville NPR)

by Gabe Bullard on January 23, 2012

Proponents of a merged government in Hardin County hope to put the issue on the ballot this year.

Advocates say combining Elizabethtown, Vine Grove and Radcliffe with Hardin County’s unincorporated areas and other cities would be a boon to economic development. The governments can merge under the same state law that allowed Lexington and Fayette County to consolidate in 1974. (The law that allowed the Louisville-Jefferson County merger applies only to first class cities.)

But, to assuage any concerns from residents, merger proponents are championing legislation in Frankfort that would allow individual cities to opt out of the merger if a majority of residents oppose consolidation. If that happens, the cities would seemingly either fall under the governance of an entity they opposed or exist without a county. Before the public can vote on the matter, officials will have to figure out how an independent city would interact with the merged government that surrounds it.

“At this point, it’s kind of hard to say exactly,” says Hardin County United spokesman Luke Schmidt. “For example, how would emergency medical services be provided? Today, county government provides emergency medical service throughout the county.”

Schmidt says the merger agreement should spell out any questions about independent cities.

“We’d like to have it on the ballot this November,” he says. “This being a presidential election, we’ll have a high turnout of voters to begin with and we think that’s important. But we want to do the plan the right way. If that requires more time and we can’t make it, we’ll push it to the next election.”

He expects the document to be finalized in time to have it on the ballot in November, but says there’s no official deadline, and the vote could happen in a following year.

 

 

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House passes HB 190 in a unanimous vote The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

 

Article originally posted to The News-Enterprise Web site http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/house-passes-hb-190-unanimous-vote

House passes HB 190 in a unanimous vote

Unification clarification awaits approval from state Senate

By Sarah Bennett
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:42 pm (Updated: January 19, 10:33 pm)

The Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 190 Wednesday in a unanimous 94-0 vote.

The bill’s primary goal was to clarify the language of the existing unification law, said Luke Schmidt, consultant for Hardin County United.

Introduced by Rep. Jimmie Lee, D-Elizabethtown, and co-sponsored by Rep. Tim Moore, R-Elizabethtown, HB 190 ensures a city will be exempt from joining unified government if the majority of its residents vote against unification.

Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville, and Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, also co-sponsored the bill, according to a news release.

Schmidt said this was a problem identified when HCU began presentations to county residents last fall. The organization has been adamant a city’s majority vote would be respected, he said.

The bill now moves to the state Senate, and Lee said Thursday the senate will hear its own bills first before it reviews those passed by the House.

“I don’t think we should start to worry if they don’t begin discussing it immediately,” he said.

Lee said it’s notable the bill passed unanimously in the House, adding it appears there is enough interest across the state in exploring the unification tool.

Schmidt said the 94-0 vote in the House is a “terrific margin,” which he sees as indicative of bipartisan support in the state legislature.

Sarah Bennett can be reached at (270) 505-1750 or sbennett@thenewsenterprise.com.

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KY House of Representatives passes House Bill 190 WAVE-TV (Louisville)

Kentucky House of Representatives passes House Bill 190
Submitted by Sarah Eisenmenger
Thursday, January 19th, 2012, 2:12pm

ELIZABETHTOWN, KY (WAVE) – Hardin County United (HCU) today recognized the action taken by the Kentucky House of Representatives in passing House Bill 190 by a vote of 94 – 0.  HB 190 was introduced by State Representative Jimmie Lee (D-Elizabethtown) and is co-sponsored by State Representatives Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown), Darryl Owens (D-Louisville), and Arnold Simpson (D-Covington).

“I am pleased to report to the citizens of Hardin County who have been following the issue of unified government that their concerns about how an individual city’s citizens’ vote on a unified government plan will be treated have been heard loud and clear by the House of Representative,” said State Representative Jimmie Lee.  “Voters can rest assured that HB 190 clearly states that if the majority of a city’s voters vote no on a plan for unified government, then that city will remain free-standing, even if other jurisdictions should vote yes for the plan,” said Lee.

“Passage of HB 190 by the House of Representatives represents another major step forward in HCU’s initiative to bring a plan on unified government to the citizens of Hardin County,” said Luke B. Schmidt, consultant to HCU.  “HCU is following up on its commitment to address this issue,” said Schmidt.

“HCU appreciates the leadership that our Hardin County legislative delegation is bringing to this issue,” said Hardin Circuit Court Judge Ken Howard, Chair of HCU’s Governance Subcommittee.  “We look forward to turning our attention to the Kentucky State Senate in moving this issue through to final passage” said Howard.

 

 

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Legislation Introduced in the KY General Assembly (Press Release)

HCU logo_3

Legislation Introduced in the Kentucky General Assembly to Assure the Integrity of a Community’s Vote on Unified Government

January 6, 2012 

House Bill 190 and Senate Bill 78 Seek to Assure Communities that the Votes of their Citizens will Count When it Comes to Determining Final Participation in a Unified Government Plan

Elizabethtown, Kentucky (January 6, 2012) – Hardin County United (HCU) today announced that legislation has been filed in both the Kentucky State House of Representatives and the Kentucky State Senate. The companion bills – House Bill 190, introduced by State Representative Jimmie Lee (D-Elizabethtown) and State Representative Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown), and, Senate Bill 78, introduced by Senator Dennis Parrett (D-Elizabethtown) – are designed to affirm the intent of the majority of voters participating in a community-wide referendum on unified government.

HCU launched its unified government initiative on August 4, 2011. The process, as specified under existing state law, first requires county government along with city governments that wish to participate in the process to pass an ordinance which creates the Unification Review Commission. The Commission, once established, will include between 20 and 40 citizens appointed by the various participating governments. It is the Commission’s responsibility to develop a plan for unified government which will include county government and the participating municipal governments. Once the plan has been completed, it is to be submitted to the voters in the participating jurisdictions for review and approval.

As HCU presented its findings to the community on the potential benefits of unified government, concern was expressed by several elected officials about how an individual community’s vote on unified government would be handled in relation to the votes in the other jurisdictions. In other words, and, hypothetically speaking, if voters in the county and say five of the six Hardin County cities voted to unify, what would happen to the city who’s voters voted not to unify?

“Hardin County United has been clear from the beginning that the intent of the majority of a community’s voters must be respected,” said Hardin Circuit Court Judge Ken Howard, Chairperson of HCU’s Governance Subcommittee. “If a majority of voters in a given city vote no on unification, even though the other jurisdictions vote yes on unification, then it is our view that the community that voted no should be allowed to remain a free-standing community.”

“Existing state law is not as clear as it needs to be on this issue,” said State Representative Jimmie Lee. “The intent of our bill is to clear up any ambiguity that exists in order to provide voters in a given community complete assurance that the majority view on unified government as expressed by the voters in that community will be upheld.”

House Bill 190 and Senate Bill 78 were introduced during the first week of the Regular Session which convened in Frankfort on January 3, 2012. “This is an important next step in HCU’s initiative to bring a plan of unified government to the voters of Hardin County and its cities,” said Luke B. Schmidt, consultant to HCU. “Many good questions have been raised by citizens during our 25+ community presentations on this issue. Most of these questions can’t be answered until the Unification Review Commission is appointed and it drafts its plan, which will be submitted to the voters for their careful review and consideration.”

“I have consulted with local elected officials and believe that new legislation is necessary to clarify existing statutes.  With the passage of this bill, any city council that chooses to approve the establishment of a Unification Review Commission can do so with the confidence that the voters in their respective community will have the final say as to whether they participate in a unified government,” said Representative Tim Moore.  “City Councils will have the authority to allow participation.  And, if the unification process is initiated by their locally elected officials, the majority of voters in a given community will determine the outcome for each community.”

“I look forward to raising this important issue with my colleagues in the Senate,” said State Senator Dennis Parrett. “Voters voting on a plan of unified government need to feel confident that their community’s wishes on the issue will be respected – passage of Senate Bill 78 will make this happen.”

HCU believes that there are four primary benefits to unifying local government in Hardin County, including:

1. The attainment of a new level of clout as Kentucky’s third largest community that will assist the entire community in the creation of new jobs,

2. The ability for the community to speak with one voice and more efficiently target grants and appropriations which will benefit the entire community while improving the community’s standing and stature in Frankfort and Washington, D.C.,

3. Streamlined government which will result in the more efficient delivery of government services to all citizens, and,

4. The achievement of economies of scale which will result in the more efficient use of public resources (tax dollars).

“We view this as positive legislation,” said Schmidt. “This legislation impacts only those communities in Kentucky that are considering unified government and there is no fiscal impact on the Commonwealth – meaning no new taxes will be required in order to implement this legislation.”

More information on HCU’s unified government initiative can be found by visiting HCU’s Web site: www.hcu.lbschmidt.com.

—

Hardin County United (HCU) was established for the purpose of examining the various strategic goals which were established by the Hardin County Vision Project in 2010. The intent of HCU is to prioritize the goals and to develop implementation strategies. HCU’s leadership team includes Hardin County Judge/Executive Harry Berry who chairs the Steering Committee; Hardin County Chamber of Commerce President Brad Richardson, who chairs the Community Development Subcommittee; North Central Education Foundation President/CEO Al Rider, who chairs the Education Subcommittee; and Hardin Circuit Court Judge Ken Howard who chairs the Governance Subcommittee. Luke Schmidt, President of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC, provides management and consulting services to HCU.

 

 

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NKY forum focuses on merging gov’t services The (Covington) Kentucky Enquirer

COVINGTON -In 1872, Covington and Newport considered merging.

That’s the first newspaper reference to local government mergers in Northern Kentucky, according to Northern Kentucky University history professor Paul Tenkotte.

Most cities have opted to remain independent – Campbell County has 15 cities and Kenton has 18 – but the idea of consolidation never left the minds of local leaders.

Tenkotte and other experts at a forum Tuesday night at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center discussed the economic benefits and challenges of merging governments and services. Some said other areas, such as Louisville, gained economic development advantages by consolidating governments.

The answer to why Northern Kentucky has so many cities lies with the Great Depression and World War II, Tenkotte said.

The leaders of many Kenton County suburban cities in the 1920s, such as Fort Mitchell and Park Hills, envisioned being annexed by Covington, he said. But the Works Progress Administration in the Great Depression built infrastructure in these cities, and the World War II generation’s volunteerism sustained the small cities.

“The WPA … provided funds on a cost-sharing basis to build city buildings, school sidewalks, sewers, water treatment plants, you name it, and the suburbs took advantage of that and got great infrastructure built,” Tenkotte said. “So then we go into World War II. After World War II, the suburbs can take advantage of what Tom Brokaw and others called the Greatest Generation, a generation that was very involved with civic engagement … and they looked and said we don’t need Covington anymore.”

Rising pension costs for cities has many looking at ways to save money. That might mean the merging of services, Crestview Hills Mayor Paul Meier said.

“If something drastic doesn’t happen with that pension system, we’re going to have to look at least at the consolidation of services,” Meier said. “That’s one of the things our city has done. We don’t have our own fire department. We contract that out. We contract the police department. I think you will find that in a lot of places going forward.”

The consolidation of city and county governments doesn’t happen often in the United States, Suzanne Leland, a political science professor with the Urban Institute of the University of North Carolina, told the audience Tuesday night.

Only 40 city-county consolidated governments exist in the United States, she said, including Lexington and Louisville. When they get proposed, 85 percent get defeated at the ballot box, Leland said.

Most city-county mergers happen with areas that have a populations of 100,000-300,000, she said, and succeeded when the campaign stressed the economic development value over the government efficiency, Leland said.

The forum Tuesday night featured people who worked elsewhere in the state on consolidation.

Some leaders in Hardin County, which has a population of 105,000, have proposed consolidating the government of the county and the cities, which includes Elizabethtown and five other municipal governments.

In addition to less duplication, the merging of governments would give Hardin County more clout, said Luke Schmidt, a consultant who is working on the proposed Hardin County consolidation. A unified government in Hardin County would make it the third-largest city in the state.

“Because of that, economic development will be more focused – more singularly focused – and we expect good job creation to come from that,” Schmidt said.