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Greenwood merger could mean drastic changes
It is expected that the seven members of the study committee responsible for exploring the feasibility of a merger of White River Township (WRT) and the City of Greenwood will be appointed the first week of 2009. The Greenwood City Council and the White River Township board both meet the first week of January.
By state statute, three of the study committee members will be appointed by the White River Township board, three selected by the Greenwood common council and one appointed by Greenwood mayor Charles Henderson. Appointees must come from multiple political parties with no single party having dominance.
Statute also requires the study committee be appointed within 30 days of the certification of both governance bodies passing similarly-worded reorganization study resolutions. On Dec. 22, Greenwood clerk-treasurer Jeannine Myers certified the receipt of the White River Township board reorganization resolution that WRT trustee Jay W. Marks had certified two weeks earlier.
White River Township board president Mark Messick emphasized the goal of any reorganization, as stated in the resolution, is meant to create “more effective and efficient government for those citizens.”
Messick believes local government should reflect the realities and demands of the 21st century rather than adhere to a style of governing that was necessary in the 19th century.
Messick is looking for committee and subcommittee members who embrace a bold willingness to explore as many options as possible for the future of these neighboring entities. “Open-mindedness is the greatest attribute I’m going to be looking for (in potential committee members),” Messick asserts. “Someone who is willing to bring forth ideas and use imagination to look at this as an opportunity to reinvent not only the governance we have in White River Township, but maybe even the City of Greenwood.”
Messick also would like to see those involved have a “serving mind … and willing to do the hard work” needed to volunteer for this study. He is looking for those who are committed to searching earnestly for the best possible solution for the sake of both WRT and Greenwood.
Messick discussed the new governing model about to be implemented by Zionsville in Boone County as one option. They reorganized two township governments, folding them into the city limits as of January 2009. The model allows different ways of handling the disparate settings within the same entity, such as differing tax rates for rural and urban areas.
Should the merger would become a reality, the City of Greenwood (population 47,700 in the latest census) would nearly double with the addition of the estimated WRT population of 42,000. That would make Greenwood the sixth-largest city in the state. Messick said the merger would “drastically change things.”
A shift of that magnitude would most likely result in Greenwood moving from a third class city to a second class city said Brent Corey, Greenwood city council member-at-large. That would add two more council seats, a district seat and another at-large position. Corey noted that the Greenwood and Center Grove school corporations would remain separate if the merger happened.
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