A serious look by the Lake County Commissioners at eliminating satellite court houses in north county locations, has political flack flying all over.
How about merging the Crown Point and Merrillville Chambers of Commerce? With some suggesting that prior leadership was standing in the way of possible efficiencies, this regional effort has some momentum.
Some other possible mergers/consolidations that I think should be considered:
- Chesterton, Burns Harbor, and Porter should look at forming a combined City of Duneland
- NIRPC and the RDA should look at combining operations, paring back the number of politicians using NIRPC as a pulpit, and letting them maximize our investments in job creation and planning for the future.
- NICTD (South Shore) should raise fares to become self-supporting, and then take a close look at privatization or even a merger/privatization with the Gary Airport.
- Once again a merger of the regional tourism boards is a layup shot, it just plain makes sense. If the current leadership needs to be replaced, similar to the chambers in Lake County being held back by leadership, then make it happen.
- Portage and the Portage township seem like an easy case for creating a fire territory so that the residents of Portage township would have full-time firefighters instead of volunteers.
- And lastly, since this list will probably tick off everyone, another strong case for totally eliminating the 12 townships in Porter County. Cemeteries are better owned and managed by private businesses. Parks are better operated by cities and towns. Poor relief can and should be handled more consistently on a countywide basis. Fire can, and in the case of Center Township is being handled better in a relationship with a full time department. There's nothing left for the township trustee.
Sadly, this post won't get nearly the response and thought provocation as the ones featuring grass roots organizations arguing with party elites, or "tin foil" hat wearers arguing with people in the real world trenches ... sad.
