EMPORIUM – Many Cameron County citizens have come down hard on
local elected officials who last month denied them a chance to vote
on sweeping changes in their local government.

Supporters of the controversial plan to dissolve the township
and borough borders and replace them with a countywide government
have vowed to continue their fight, with a new goal of bringing the
home rule charter to a public vote next May.

The issue will be aired at 7 p.m. today when a member of Gov. Ed
Rendell’s staff attends an Emporium Borough Council meeting. Howard
Brush, who directs the governor’s Northwestern Region office in
Erie, will discuss state incentives for a new form of local
government, hear council members’ concerns, and answer questions.
The session is open to the public.

Council, by a split vote, tabled the issue for further
investigation. That came during the same meeting that the township
supervisors of Grove, Gibson, Lumber and Portage decided against
placing the home rule charter on the November ballot.

Emporium Borough Councilman Randy Frey said he is looking
forward to today’s session as an opportunity to revisit the
issue.

“The consolidation plan has some flaws, in my opinion, but I
still believe in the concept and think that any details could have
been hammered out,” Frey said. “It is simple economics – our tax
burden is becoming unbearable.”

Consolidation supporters cite a consultant’s study forecasting
lower taxes under the home rule charter, which would eliminate
about 30 local township and borough elected positions.

Under the consultant’s plan, a nine-member countywide council
would be elected with representatives from seven new geographic
districts and two at-large members. The council would appoint a
county manager, chief of police, public works director and chief
tax assessor.

Five countywide offices would still be filled by voters:
district attorney, sheriff, treasurer, coroner and a combination
prothonotary, clerk of courts, register and recorder.

These offices would be abolished: county commissioner, township
supervisor, tax collector, borough council member, mayor, tax
collector, county auditor, borough and township auditor and jury
commissioner.

Particulars of the plan could change as supporters – including
Cameron County Commissioners Tony Moscato, Patrick Rodgers and Glen
Fiebig – consider their options. Among these are a citizens’
initiative process to bring the new form of government to a public
vote next May.

Brush said he is anxious to learn how Cameron County citizens
want to proceed in the wake of the July 30 meeting at which
township and borough officials opted not to place the issue on the
November ballot.