CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) The Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce and Aspire Clarksville Foundation hosted a special educational presentation about the consolidated government process Thursday morning.
Around 100 local community and business leaders heard from Gary Bechtel, a Commissioner who was part of the consolidation government changes in Macon-Bibb County Georgia, and Dewey Branstetter, a specialist in Tennessee consolidation law.
Cal Wray, Executive Director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council opened the meeting by saying that neither the Chamber of Commerce nor Aspire has taken a position on consolidated government.
“Our position is only to try to educate those in the room, community leaders, and the population as a whole as we go through the process,” Wray said.
Bechtel talked about the reasons the community in Macon-Bibb County pursued consolidation, what work was done to make the decision and how the community has been impacted by the consolidation decision and its implementation.
Macon-Bibb County voted in July of 2012 to consolidate their City and County. Bechtel said two of the top issues the community faced were who would handle law enforcement, the sheriff or police chief, and what would happen to elected officials.
Branstetter’s father served with the successful consolidation commission in Nashville that passed and he has served over the past 10 years as chairman of the charter revision commission for Metro Nashville-Davidson County.
Branstetter said he feels strongly about consolidation. “In Clarksville, you’ve got an incredible opportunity to consolidate because you’ve got one municipality in the county and your school system is already consolidated,” he said.
He added that it is not an easy process and said it’s not the city taking over the county or the county taking over the city but, it is a unique third form of government.
Charlie Koon, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, shared his views on the consolidation event.
“I think the speakers were well informed and gave us some great information for us to move forward on consolidated government. As far as the chamber, we’re not taking a stand on it, but we are all about learning and receiving more information and I think it’s good for the two governments to work together,” Koon said.
Earlier this month both the Montgomery County Commission and the Clarksville City Council recently voted to form a Charter Commission of 15 members to put together a charter for consolidated government, which will then be presented to voters.
