Electric City agrees to half fund consolidation study

Electric City stepped up to the plate last Tuesday night and pledged up to $15,000 to move the idea of consolidating local cities along, and now the ball is in Grand Coulee’s court.

The city council action was a boost for the chamber of commerce, whose efforts to get the subject of consolidation a fair hearing in the months ahead picked up a little steam.

Grand Coulee’s council a month ago showed a level of interest by voting a letter of support, but no funding. They would need to vote to spend up to $15,000 also if the full $30,000 budget is needed.

The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce agreed to take the consolidation issue on when citizens of both communities indicated an interest in the two towns getting together.

Electric City heard a presentation by SCJ Alliance’s Dan Penrose, who provided the council with a six-month plan that would give the ideas of consolidation a fair and impartial hearing.

The effort to consolidate would only move along as it receives support, Penrose stated.

Chamber of commerce Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal said that she didn’t see that the effort would require the full $30,000, because the chamber hoped to do some of the work, which SCJ has said would reduce the bill.

She explained that if it appeared citizens aren’t interested, then the effort could be stopped at that point.

Mayor Jerry Sands asked for a show of hands among the council and audience of who was in favor of looking into consolidation, and about three-fourths of the crowd, which filled the council chamber for other reasons, raised their hands.

Penrose said that his company would conduct interviews of the two councils during the first month, and then move on to host community forums so local residents could express themselves on the issue.

If all went well there, SCJ would develop and test a community survey, and the following month launch the survey. Then the survey results would be gathered and analyzed, Penrose said. Towards the end of the six-month period, SCJ would draft a summary report and present its findings.

It was made clear that the program would proceed as support of it was shown.

It would eventually require taking a vote of the people before consolidation could occur.