Letter: Deconsolidating Metro bad idea

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1999 | 9:54 a.m.

It is difficult at present to question the city's position as they have taken the unusual approach of making public this extremely controversial issue with no supporting documentation.

Only a few years back the people voted to increase the rank and file of the police department. Why was this issue of deconsolidation not brought up then? Recruiting a multitude of police officers, only to place their careers in jeopardy?

How will the department's resources be divided, who will receive the senior/experienced personnel? Will the city rent "use time" from the firearms training facility or build its own? Why is it so important that we not be like Jacksonville, Fla., or Nashville, Tenn.?

Considering the city's past performance record -- Main Street Station, Fremont Street Experience, eminent domain liability suits and a Japanese-owned office building -- let the city do what it knows best, decorating the exterior of City Hall!

If saving money is truly the bottom-line, altruistic objective of the City Council, may I suggest rather than deconsolidating Metro they vote to consolidate city and county governments?

GREG KONKIN

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