Here’s a thought that may sound a little far-fetched. But, if folks honestly want to see their tax burdens reduced, it is an avenue that would lead in that direction.
Iola, Humboldt and Allen County all have a number of employees dedicated to keeping roads, streets and alleys in shape. To lesser degrees, the same is true in Gas, LaHarpe, Moran, Elsmore and Savonburg.
The county helps out with chip and seal treatments of streets in Gas, LaHarpe and Moran. It did in Humboldt as well until its governors decided to forego such assistance.
The county could do more, particularly if town councils were so disposed to bite that asphalt-covered bullet to work an agreement for one county-wide road crew. Remember: City residents pay county taxes the same as those in unincorporated areas.
The number of employees wouldn’t have to be decreased, although that could occur through attrition, and with one fleet of trucks and equipment, plus the county quarry crushing hundreds of tons of limestone a year, economy of scale would be a natural result.
Such a plan would take compromise and a huge helping of organization. Turf considerations would have to be peeled away.
However, there seems to be no reason of consequence why such an approach wouldn’t be workable.
The county-wide ambulance and EMS service is the most recent example of such cooperation.
And in the mid-1960s the state unified many small school districts — think Elsmore and LaHarpe — and that has worked out, although a few diehards still harbor ill feelings.
ANOTHER advantage of one large department, however it is aligned, is that more equipment to fit specialized tasks could be on hand, eliminating the need to hire outside contractors.
Humboldt is talking about buying a Zipper, a $100,000 machine used to grind up oil-based streets for reconstitution.
Thinking the county could use the machine as well, and yes, hoping to reduce the financial burden on Humboldt, Cole Herder, Humboldt city administrator, approached county commissioners Tuesday asking if they would help with its purchase.
The machine is similar to one owned by the county, but smaller and better at negotiating a town’s streets and corners.
With one Zipper — or any other such contri-vance — available, it could be used wherever needed throughout the county.
For city taxpayers, one county-wide department also would mean they aren’t supporting two road and street departments.
Today, Allen County’s population is less than 14,000 — a small town in many parts of the country.
Reducing replication of services and equipment is a cost-savings we can’t afford to ignore.
All it would take is the want-to and someone to get the ball rolling. County commissioners would be a good start.
— Bob Johnson
