Skip to main content

City council takes next step on consolidation path

By Howard B. Owens

Consolidation of the town and the city took another incremental step forward Monday night as the Batavia City Council passed a resolution to form a committee to select a committee.

Three council members are being tasked with the job of finding residents to serve on the Consolidation Charter Task Force.

The task force will be asked to write a new charter for the proposed merged municipality.

Voters in both jurisdictions would then be asked in 2012 to vote for or against the charter.

Representing the city would be Marianne Clattenburg, Tim Buckley and Frank Ferrando.

The town will also appoint three representatives to review potential members of the charter task force.

The elected officials will not actually be involved in the charter task force.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski objected to taking this next step toward consolidation.

He said consolidation efforts in other communities have really turned into civil wars.

"It’s turning neighbor against neighbor, relative against relative," Bialkowski said. "It removes a lot of local control and it doesn’t solve the problem.

"I hate to see community torn apart," he added, "The majority of the people in the town are going to vote against it anyway."

John Ognibene

"The majority of the people in the town are going to vote against it anyway."

So why would you waste city and town money to try this consolidation plan if no one wants it. I live in the town and personally do not want this at all.

Nov 9, 2010, 12:20am Permalink
Tara Pariso

"City Council passed a resolution to form a committee to select a committee." Seriously??? Why is there a need to form a committee to select a committe, couldn't the first one jsut do the job, or have city council select the individuals? What a waste of time, very disapponting to read.

Nov 9, 2010, 4:16pm Permalink
Mike Swiatowy

The Whole Idea doesn't make any sense!!! This will definitely get voted down by the town voters!! I would be surprised if there were anyone from the town on board with this.

Nov 9, 2010, 5:48pm Permalink

Authentically Local