Talks of at least consolidating some city and county services will not go away after County Mayor Claude Ramsey leaves to join Gov.-elect Bill Haslam’s administration, several city and county officials said Monday.
“It changes things,” said Mayor Ron Littlefield. “I really don’t know how it has until we get further into the process.”
For two years, Littlefield has talked about merging the city and the county into a single entity. During that time, he has said repeatedly that “his good friend” Ramsey would be a key to any talks of consolidation.
WHAT’S NEXTThe Hamilton County Commission is expected to appoint an interim county mayor once County Mayor Claude Ramsey resigns on Jan. 11, 2011.
Last Friday, Ramsey announced he would step down as mayor to become Haslam’s deputy governor. Ramsey said he would resign Jan. 11, leaving a vacancy for the Hamilton County Commission to fill.
The commission is expected to appoint an interim mayor after Ramsey leaves, someone who will serve the rest of Ramsey’s term. Ramsey was re-elected to a four-year term in August. Some of the possible candidates to replace Ramsey include Special Assistant to the Mayor Mike Carter, County Commissioner Jim Coppinger and County Commissioner Larry Henry.
All three said Monday they would be open to some level of discussion about consolidation if appointed as county mayor.
Littlefield said Monday he knows all the men who have been named as possible candidates and is “comfortable with all of them.”
Carter said Monday he would be open to discussion about consolidation, but he would need to see proof that it would save taxpayers’ money.
“It’s got to be proven to me,” Carter said. “If it takes the form of metro [metropolitan government], I’m against it.”
He said he has seen too many instances in which, instead of cuts, consolidated governments end up with two employees instead of one.
Henry said he would be open to the idea and said he already sees the benefits that could happen right now since his district in East Brainerd lies partly in the city and partly in the county.
“I would have already had the talks going,” Henry said.
He said he can already see benefits if the courts, the treasurer’s office and the city and county departments of Public Works and Parks and Recreation were combined.
Coppinger said he could see the same benefits, but noted that there has not been a lot of movement on talks about consolidation so far.
Littlefield acknowledged that other factors played a role in the delay on consolidation discussions, such as the recent county elections.
“It’s not like anyone’s dragging their feet,” he said.
He said he is “hopeful” talks of consolidation would begin as soon as the new mayor is put in place.
City Councilman Peter Murphy said Monday Ramsey’s departure does not mean the end of consolidation talks.
“It’s going to be bigger than any one political figure,” he said. “We’re not going to get there by the sheer will of one city or county mayor.”