The Pioneer Institute has come out with a study of regionalization, including notable failures, as well as success. I attended a conference on regionalization Friday that included State Senators Susan Tucker and Steven Baddour, as well as Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan. In the Merrimack Valley I believe we have had some success with regional collaboration, including the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District, and the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative, amongst other examples. There is so much more that can be done to promote efficiencies through regional collaboration, but there are powerful stakeholders who remain opposed to such efforts. In this region Methuen is a member of the Merrimack Valley Mayor’s and Managers Coalition, where we have leveraged the office of the Merrimack Valley Planning Agency to explore new and innovative ways to regionalize and save money.

As we talk about regionalizing some services the question has to be asked “how can you regionalize some services when you cannot even consolidate inside city borders to reduce administrative waste”? Pretty good question! Today’s Tribune talks about a renewed effort to consolidate some school and city functions that will be up for discussion at tonights City Council meeting. Filed by City Councilor Joseph Leone the legislation would create a financial task force to study ways to save money through school and city consolidation. It is worthy legislation that ought to be passed by the City Council, and we should explore every option we have in this area. Methuen has been ahead of the curve in this area, as we have successfully consolidated our Human Resources function, having one Human Resources Director for both city and school. And yet some resistance still exists to the common sense notion of eliminating duplication in administrative functions. Why? Read the attached report and focus on the failed attempts at regionalization, and see how powerful stakeholders were able to stymie efforts to regionalize. Change comes hard, and some still believe that governmental money will always be there in unlimited quantities. Those folks are in for a rude awakening! Read the Tribune story on consolidation here.
Pioneer Institute Regionalization