BOOSTING COOPERATION

Buried in the back pages of this newspaper recently was a legal notice about Bangor and Brewer jointly seeking proposals from companies wanting to pick up the cities’ trash. Although it wasn’t big news, the notice is proof that the cities are working together. While a joint trash contract is far from the governor’s vision of consolidating government functions, it is a good start.

Contrary to recent reports that the two cities, separated by the Penobscot River, couldn’t work together, the two cities are doing so on many levels. The cities already make some purchases together. They have a joint street maintenance contract and hope for more. City staffs cover for one another when necessary. The cities’ mayors, city managers and department heads routinely meet. They frequently discuss what types of collaborations are possible and what aren’t.

The state could be helpful in this regard, Bangor City Manager Ed Barrett suggests, by commissioning or undertaking itself a study of what regionalization looks like and what it might save or, possibly, cost. Since Lewiston and Auburn already do much together, this could be a good test location. Or, as Mr. Barrett suggests, looking at a single countywide government for Androscoggin County would be instructive.

Such a study would first identify barriers to consolidation, such as union contracts and differing ordinances, and suggest ways to overcome them. Then, a thorough analysis of everything from joint trash pickup to a single police force should be done. Are there cost savings? Where and how much? Are there additional expenses? Again, where and how much? Are services still adequately provided? If not, who is responsible for fixing problems?

With such information, city, county and school officials would be much better equipped to move ahead with regionalization efforts. “People agree consolidation is a useful thing to do,” City Manager Barrett says, “but, no one knows what it will look like.”

Gov. John Baldacci has made regionalization a top priority of his administration. Putting a little state money and time into helping municipal officials follow through on that mandate is a wise investment.