Leading the way in the emerging effort to improve local government modernization and efficiency, the City and Town of Batavia in Genesee County are well on their way to a potential merger that would be what observers have described as a "national model." Last year the two Western New York entities successfully applied for a state grant to study consolidation, declaring that their existing governmental structure had considerable overlap and duplication in the delivery of needed municipal services.
A City/Town Consolidation Study Committee is at work considering options for presentation to the public this summer, which could form the basis for a plan that would be presented to the respective governments. If they approve, the issue would appear on the General Election ballot in November as a referendum. The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) has been engaged as a consultant to conduct the study.
If the plan to create one unified government in Batavia is successful, it will be the first city and town consolidation in New York State, according to CGR.
For more on the effort visit: http://www.cgr.org/bataviaconsolidationplan/
