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Institute Case Studies Will Aid Macon-Bibb Consolidation Efforts

As community leaders take formal steps in the process toward consolidating the City of Macon and Bibb County governments, they will have access to first-hand accounts and insider views into the experiences of Georgia's three biggest consolidated governments. At the request of a member of the local legislative delegation, the Vinson Institute will provide a report that examines the consolidation processes of Columbus-Muscogee County, Athens-Clarke County, and Augusta-Richmond County.

Local government services faculty will examine local statutes prior to and following consolidation to develop a picture of how government structures and services changed as a result of consolidating. Their analysis will take a long-term perspective by describing not only immediate changes, but also how the consolidated governments have evolved in the intervening years. They will also interview individuals who were active in their community's consolidation process at the time to learn what actions and strategies were successful and which were less so.

Based on the insights obtained from other governments, the report will outline several options Macon and Bibb County leaders can consider in their own consolidation process.

The Institute's local government experts work frequently with cities and counties that are contemplating consolidation to help them understand organizational and financial considerations. They provide feasibility analyses related to revenue and expenditure data and examine potential service delivery impacts.