By ANDY GARDNER
North Country Now

MASSENA -- The Town Council on Wednesday agreed to a request for proposals for a local government consolidation study.

The town and village are funding the study, which could potentially recommend village dissolution, as a joint venture.

The town board passed the measure with reluctant support from some councilors.

"I've read the last two dissolution studies. I don't see where anything's different today. We have agreed to contribute to this. The legwork's been done. The grant's been received," Councilor Sam Carbone said. "Maybe there is some way we can save money in collaboration with the village. I don't see a great value in it.

"Maybe there's something we're missing."

The study will cost $50,000. Half of the will be grant funding. The village and town will each pay $12,500 to pick up the rest of the tab.

Councilor Albert Nicola agreed with Carbone.

"I kind of echo that. It's going to come down to services. The village has a police force, the village has the fire department," he said. "If there is a new entity, do you want those services?

"There's the question of West Massena that has to be solved ... I think there are a lot of things that have to be looked at."

"I think that's the reason for this study," Town Supervisor Steve O'Shaughnessy said. "Let's take a fresh look at this. I have the same stereotypes everybody on this board has expressed, privately."