Rochesters look at consolidating some city services

Two cities with practically the same name are trying to push the envelope on how to play efficiently in Metro Detroit.The city councils of Rochester and Rochester Hills will hold a joint meeting on Monday, June 15 to talk about ways the two municipalities can save taxpayer money by enacting a more regional approach to doing business. It looks like a smart move in this time of tough economies and ever shrinking budgets.”We all have to evaluate things differently,” says Bryan Barnett, mayor of Rochester Hills. “In the era we are in now we have to find ways to share more things.”The two cities already share library and senior citizen services. They’re now looking at further collaboration, like mutual aide agreements and big ticket purchases, such as street sweepers or road salt.”Some of these things we could go in on together,” Barnett says.Other local communities have talked about operating more regionally recently, such as consolidating Farmington and Farmington Hills or creating a Downriver Area Fire Authority. Both of those ideas floundered but state officials have continued to push for creating efficiencies through regionalism.The special joint meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road. For information, call (248) 656-4600.Source: Bryan Barnett, mayor of Rochester HillsWriter: Jon Zemke