By Jake Palmateer
Staff Writer
WEST ONEONTA _ A debate about merging the city and town _ or at least studying its possibility _ is moving into the Oneonta Town Hall tonight.
The board may consider a slightly different version of a resolution passed last week by the city Common Council. Aldermen unanimously supported the update of a 1996 study by the Center for Economic and Community Development at the State University College at Oneonta and a committee of 29 town and city residents.
The town's resolution, which is on the agenda for the 7:30 p.m. meeting in West Oneonta, backs the study of "current collaborative efforts and potential new efficiencies" between the town and city.
"This is not a commitment on the part of the town to look at a merger," Supervisor Robert Wood said Monday.
Neither was the city's non-binding resolution passed last week. But the town's proposed resolution includes specific language stating so.
"Be it further resolved, that town participation in this study is not an endorsement of consolidation. Consolidation is only possible by referendum with approval by a majority of the voters of the town," a draft copy of the resolution states.
Wood said he was not sure if the resolution, which he is bringing to the board, will pass.
"I'm not even sure I will support it," he said.
Mayor Dick Miller said previously that he is lining up $5,000 in private funding from one or more local foundations to pay the Center for Economic and Community Development to update the 14-year-old research. He said an estimated $2 million could be saved if the two communities merged their governments, adding it would be "borderline irresponsible" not to consider it.
Miller said the update of the study would at least allow city and town officials to have the information needed to review the feasibility of a merger.
But no matter what the outcome of the resolution vote may be, the town's residents seem to be against a merger, several town officials, including Wood, said Monday.
Most of the growth in the local tax base in the last two decades has occurred in the town, which has kept lower tax rates than the city.
The city, which is 4.4 square miles, has about 13,200 people _ including students _ while the town, which surrounds the city, is 33.6 square miles and has about 5,000 residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Councilman William Mirabito and Councilman Scott Gravelin _ each elected to the five-member board last fall _ both said they were against a city-town merger during a candidate forum in October.
On Monday, they both said their constituents remain overwhelmingly against it.
Mirabito said he is undecided on if he will vote for the resolution, but said he likes the idea of supporting a study of how the town and city can work better together. If it is presented and debated in those terms, the outcome of the vote may sway in favor of the resolution.
"It's not just talking about consolidation. It's talking about efficiencies," Mirabito said. "That has a good chance."
But Mirabito said the town board is undecided as a whole, and there is no clear indication what will happen tonight.
"I haven't made up my mind," Mirabito said. "The resolution does mention efficiencies and cooperation, and I'm all for that."
Gravelin said he is hoping a motion to adopt the resolution does not get seconded.
Gravelin said that although the idea of improving efficiencies by working with the city is something that could be discussed, he and all of the constituents he has talked to are opposed to a merger.
"I have not heard one positive comment about it," Gravelin said. "I think if people had to vote on (a merger) tomorrow, it would be turned down flat."
If the town were to not pass a resolution in support of the study, the Common Council would have to consider pursuing it without official town support, Miller said.
This would have to be accomplished through Freedom of Information Law requests to obtain the necessary data, he said.
