Making gov't more efficient

SANDUSKY — Erie County's Blue Ribbon Commission's listening tour continues next week. A public forum is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Erie County Office Building in downtown Sandusky. It will be the fourth public meeting this year during which members of the commission have asked for public input on suggestions for how local governments can cooperate and collaborate more along with streamlining community services to reduce expenses and cut taxes countywide. A lot of ideas were shared Tuesday at Groton Township Hall and previously at blue ribbon forums in Huron and Vermilion. Countywide fire and EMS services, regional water, shared school transportation services and fleet maintenance are among the topics residents suggested be reviewed. How it started The commission was appointed late last year by county commissioners and intends to look at every idea to determine the feasibility of implementing change that would improve overall services and/or reduce overall costs. All objectives center on reducing taxes for people living in the county. The Blue Ribbon Commission was an idea put forward by Erie County commissioner Matt Old after two public forums last year sponsored by Serving Our Seniors and the Register. The forums were in response to revaluations of properties in the county and the resulting tax hikes. Some who attended those forums talked about being forced out of their homes or fearing they will be because they cannot afford the taxes. Old, who has long been an advocate for responsible stewardship of taxpayer money, said he was moved by the concerns they talked about, and he's sure there are areas where expenses can be reduced and services can be improved. Years ago, as a Berlin Heights village councilman and also once a township trustee, Old sought collaborative ways with local governments to reduce costs. As a county commissioner, he's supported fiscal boundaries that have had a considerable and positive impact on county finances, helping to eliminate about $100 million in debt and improving the county's credit scores. Other Erie County officials — treasurer Caleb Stidham and fellow commissioners Pat Shenigo and Steve Shoffner — all also supported the creation of the Blue Ribbon Commission. Taking action At Tuesday's meeting, after a question from a resident about real estate taxes, commission co-chair Jeff Krabill, who's also a Sandusky city commissioner, responded that the Blue Ribbon commission will be communicating with state lawmakers about it and push for reforms. Lawmakers in recent years removed inflation guards in the tax code that protected property owners from un-voted-for taxes, leaving residents with few alternatives for tax relief. "We will turn to them, state Sen. Theresa Gavarone and Rep. DJ Swearingen, and ask them to take action on our behalf," Krabill said. "I say bring it on." Lawmakers have introduced rollbacks and talked about how to protect residents from un-voted for tax increases, but nothing is being fast-tracked after decades of complaints. The commission will have its own set of recommendations for what services can be consolidated, what cooperative arrangements can be created and what the potential savings could be. Its "listening tour" will continue with the next scheduled forum beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Erie County Office Building in downtown Sandusky. It's an open format, and the public is encouraged to attend. "We're taking all suggestions you have," Blue Ribbon Commission member Lisa Crescimano said. Consolidated health insurance plans were briefly discussed on Tuesday with one committee member pointing out that the larger a group being covered is the more potential there is to get better pricing. Want to go? Blue Ribbon Commission meetings in March and April are designed to zero in on individual topics. Here is the schedule coming up: Topics suggested by audience members and commission members: • School transportation and support systems • Countywide fire and EMS • Collective purchasing of equipment • IT coordination • Inmate work program • Permitting and zoning consolidation • Road patrol services • Health care consortium • Shared fleet maintenance • Regional public transportation • Insurance, including health plans and equipment coverage • Trash hauling • Overall township taxes and efficiency • Highway department collaborations and equipment sharing • Law enforcement consolidation • Legislative actions regarding existing real estate tax credits programs See you at the forum Here's a look at the Blue Ribbon Commission's upcoming schedule of public meetings: • 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Erie County Office Building, 247 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, third-floor chambers, downtown Sandusky • 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Erie County Office Building • 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Erie County Office Building — Topic: Employee health plans and other insurance10 a.m. Tuesday, March 4 - Erie County Services Center, 2900 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, third-floor chambers — Topic: Fire services