Written by Michael Moran on May 20, 2010 – 5:54 am
The City of Binghamton and Village of Johnson City are taking a small step, but important, step toward local government consolidation. The two municipalities have agreed to share one police chief.
The Business Council of New York State, Inc. supports local government consolidation to lower costs and to allow property tax reductions. Consolidation in police and fire services are often among the most difficult.
Pressconnects.com reporters Steve Reilly and George Basler write: The “Home of the Square Deal” has struck another bargain.
In separate votes Wednesday night, the Johnson City Board of Trustees and the Binghamton City Council approved an agreement to share the services and the cost — totaling $168,822 in salary and benefits — of a single police chief.
The vote was unanimous in Binghamton, with all seven council members voting for the agreement. In Johnson City, the vote was 4-1, with the lone “no” vote cast by Village Trustee Cindy Novobilski.
On June 1, current Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski will begin splitting his time evenly between the Johnson City Police Department and the Binghamton Police Bureau, serving as the head of each.
“He’s going to respond to where his expertise is needed,” said Johnson City Mayor Dennis Hannon. “If he’s in Binghamton and there’s a serious emergency or major crime in … Johnson City, he’s going to respond and do what he has to do.”
The agreement, which is for a one-year-period, is only to share a chief, not to consolidate the departments, Binghamton council members said.