Another article posted to the AJC on June 18, 2013
Burrell Ellis, is CEO of DeKalb County. Despite his recent indictment on felony charges, he finally weighs in on the incorporation movement currently raging in DeKalb County. His article was posted to the AJC along with the previous article written by Mary Kay Woodworth and Jason Lary.
Disregarding his recent difficulties, its about time that someone representing DeKalb County stepped up to address the burning issues driving the incorporation movement. It remains to be seen if his successor chooses to pursue this issue in a positive manner and offers real constructive solutions, or if he will fall back on the old-news and inconsequential standard response of DeKalb County leadership of shouting 'No, No, No ! ! !'
________________________________________________________________________________
A New Model for Cooperation
By Burrell Ellis, CEO, DeKalb County
Since 2008, DeKalb County has seen a growing interest in
cityhood and annexation movements. For some communities, that interest is
related to localized control and having more say on how taxes should be spent.
For others, it is about obtaining additional revenue to support growing demands
for services. Some neighborhoods are even now exploring options to incorporate
merely as a defense mechanism from being drawn into other proposed cities where
they lack “common interests.”
Meetings on this subject are being held across the county by
cityhood alliances and neighborhood associations, without any coordination or
full consideration regarding how these individual efforts might impact the
quality of life of the county overall. Yet in each of these discussions, one
question that is regularly asked is, “What is the position of the county?”
I support the right of citizens to determine how they will be
governed. As chief executive officer, my preeminent concern is to ensure that
all residents of DeKalb receive the high-quality services they expect and
deserve from local government, irrespective of whether those services come from
the county or from one of our cities.
Even if the entire county became incorporated, it would not
relieve the county from the responsibility to maintain libraries, oversee
elections, fund public health, run the judicial system and provide other
essential services to all our residents, city and county alike. Our current
process, and its resulting political fragmentation, is inefficient and
unsustainable and does not enhance economic growth and prosperity. There has to
be a better way to meet our collective objectives, as local governments, that
is mutually beneficial and addresses the concerns we all share.
Across the United States, there are models of counties and
cities working together to minimize service delivery costs, increase
efficiency, identify revenue-sharing opportunities, and partner on issues that
are not contained within our political boundaries. That is what I propose for
DeKalb. There is no reason for the county and its cities to combat one another
based on old arguments as to which form of local government is “better.” That
is a scenario where no one, in the long term, ends up the victor. And in the
end, we must acknowledge neither form of government is going away.
Last week, I met with the mayors in our county to discuss a
process for developing a collaborative, efficient strategy for delivering
quality services to all DeKalb residents. Within the next few days, I will
convene an intergovernmental task force made up of mayors and appointees from
the county commission; state municipal and county organizations; the school
district; the county development authority, and the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.
During a 90- to 120-day period, the task force will be charged with
recommending an efficient service delivery strategy, effective policy
integration, and a successful economic development strategy for all DeKalb
citizens.
Through a series of meetings, interviews and research, a final
report will be drafted. It will detail qualitative and quantitative information
necessary to develop an intergovernmental plan and, if necessary, “rules of
engagement” for future pursuits of incorporation and annexation.
My
hope is that our citizens and elected officials will see this as an opportunity
to have an informed and necessary discussion on the subject of
intergovernmental collaboration and service delivery. Moreover, it should
provide us with a new, improved model for achieving our one common goal:
improving the quality of life for all citizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment