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February 13, 2012

Editorial: Merger report must get into the details

The men and women studying a possible merger of Dalton and Whitfield County general governments have a great deal to grapple with over the next two weeks. They are currently drafting a report looking at the benefits and pitfalls of a merged government.

That’s the final step before they vote to recommend whether the city and county should merge completely, merge certain departments or do nothing. What they say in that report will make a big difference in how voters react to that recommendation.

“I’m beginning to feel more comfortable about this than I was a couple of weeks ago. But, and maybe this is just my years in elected office, I keep coming back to the point that nothing matters if voters won’t vote for this,” said Whitfield County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Babb, who is also a member of the merger commission. “So I keep looking further downstream and wondering what concerns and questions voters will have when they step into the voting booth. We have to address their concerns.”

Babb is absolutely correct.

Commission members will have to spell out exactly how many mergers will take place. Voters won’t react well if they are told, “The newly elected officials of any merged government will figure out the details.”

They are going to want to know how their fire and police protection will work, how roads will be paved and maintained and how all their services will be paid for.

They’ll also want to know what happens to Dalton Utilities if the two governments merged. Dalton Utilities has some $800 million in assets that have been built up over a century by city residents. The carpet industry has grown in Dalton largely because of Dalton Utilities, and Dalton Utilities has grown because of the carpet industry. Thanks to Dalton Utilities, Dalton residents and businesses enjoy some of the lowest rates for electricity, water and wastewater in the nation.

In short, Dalton Utilities is one of this area’s crown jewels, and votes will want to know how any merger will affect it and what the commission plans to do to protect it and allow it to thrive if the governments merged.

Commission members have spent seven months on their study, and they will likely spend many more weeks on their work. Voters will be looking to see if they provide all the details the people expect.

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