Blue Ribbon group releases report

HURON TWP. — A new report on saving money in local government suggests consolidating school districts, eliminating some small-town police departments and cutting the number of county common pleas judges. The report of the Blue Ribbon Commission, established by the Erie County commissioners in 2024, also has many other ideas, including setting up a regional water and sewer district and collaborating on a health insurance agency that would serve many local governments and school districts. The commission, which includes many current and former government officials, released its final report at a Monday evening event at the Cedar Point Center on the Huron-area campus of BGSU Firelands. The event drew about 70 people, including many government officials. Matt Old, an Erie County commissioner, said it's important for local governments to find savings. "With the property tax crisis facing our state, the commissioners were hoping to identify tangible ways to make government work smarter and more effectively. We know that all governments, including the county, have opportunities to do more with less," Old said. "The Blue Ribbon Commission was created to provide local governments with ways it might look to save money and improve services to residents. The commission is made up of seven qualified members with a variety of expertise," he said. Old said he'll work with his fellow commissioners and local commissioners to move forward with finding ways to save money and improve services. People can visit eriecounty.oh.gov/blueribboncommission.aspx to download and read the full report. The commission's recommendations are just that — recommendations — and local government entities are under no obligation to adopt them. Here's a look at some of the panel's suggestions: Consolidating school districts The report argues that big savings are possible with school consolidation, including reducing administrative costs, avoiding duplication and studying capital improvement needs across the county. It suggests carrying out a feasibility study. The Edison school district, which merged previously separate school districts in Berlin Heights and Milan, is an example of what can be done, the report states. Jeff Krabill, co-chairman of the commission, said mergers are not the only way to save money. School districts could share a superintendent or a treasurer, for example. Any districts that want to consider merging can obtain a complete study from the state auditor, Krabill said. Consolidating law enforcement Castalia disbanded its police department and chose to work instead with the Erie County Sheriff's Office to provide law enforcement, and it might make sense for other local small police departments to do the same thing, the report states. Substations can still provide a local point of contact for residents in small towns, it says. Similarly, it might make sense to look at fire districts, the report states. Fire departments also should consider getting together to set up a centralized facility to provide maintenance for fire trucks. Reducing the number of judges Erie County currently has four common pleas judges, who handle felony criminal trials and large civil lawsuits, among other duties. The number of judges was expanded from three to four in 2004 to deal with increasing caseloads. Caseloads have consistently been falling in recent years, so it's time to ask the Ohio General Assembly to change the number of common pleas judges back to three, the report asserts. Cutting one judge position would save $700,000, the report states. It also makes sense for judges to share administrative staff, rather than each judge having his own clerks, bailiffs and so on. A regional water and sewer district The responsibility for providing drinking water and sewage treatment in Erie County is currently spread among various local governments. It would be more cost-effective to have a regional water and sewer district, which could offer equalized service rates and take a regional approach to capital improvement needs. The report urges a feasibility study of the idea. Regional health insurance The various school systems and local governments should consider consolidating their health insurance systems into a captive insurance system. That would provide a larger pool of patients. The regional system would take bids for providers of hospital care, care from doctors, prescription drugs and other needed services, saving money by cutting out the health insurance middleman, Krabill said. Krabill said the health care proposal is probably the one with the greatest potential to save taxpayer money. "The costs are just out of this world," Krabill said. "If we can save 15% to 30%, that's a huge win for public budgets and our employees across the board." Many other cost-saving ideas are also included in the report. Krabill is a current Sandusky city commissioner and a former member of the Sandusky school board. The other co-chairman is Mike Parker, an Oxford Township trustee. Other members of the commission are Karen Balconi Ghezzi, former director of Erie County Job and Family Services; Tom Forster, a health care insurance consultant; Kelly Moon, former mayor of Berlin Heights; Lisa Crescimano, former treasurer for Perkins Schools and various other local government bodies; and Tom Tucker, former Sandusky Schools superintendent.