BY STEPHEN DREW Independent Editor

It appears that if one is seeking information on the Randolph Township-Clayton merger study, information will be readily available, and not only from the two communities that are considering a possible merger, for the city of Englewood will also be looking at the effects of a merger.

At their March 26 meeting, the Englewood City Council approved a contract with Premus Consultants to study the implications of a merger. At a cost of $23,500, Robert Premus, a professor of Economics at Wright State University, and Jim Walker, a public research consultant who conducted a survey last year for the city, will collect information concerning the effects the merger will have not only on Englewood, but on all the Northmont area, said city officials.

"This (merger) represents a very significant impact on our future, said Englewood Mayor Ed Kemper. "We feel they (the merger study commission) are totally committed to the concept, and they've given us every indication that it's going to go through. The city council and staff feel that this should be looked at objectively.

According to Eric Smith, the merger study commission, approved by township and Clayton voters in November, was "hand-picked by the township trustees," and he, along with other city officials, questions the objectivity of the commission's findings. Thus the city council and administration support Premus' study.

"In fact, many (members of the commission) are township trustees and staff members," said Smith. Knowing this, he "questions whether members were predetermined.

"There appears to be a lack of hard facts concerning the cost of the merger," Smith added. "Over the past few months staff and employees have received many questions about the ramifications of the merger. We're anxious to learn the answers from an expect in this field."

While city officials said they are seeking an objective point of view, objectivity is one thing that won't come out of the study, according to Randolph Township Trustee President Ted Gudorf, who called the city's contract with Premus simply another tool in the city's criticism of the merger and the merger study commission.

"At every opportunity, the city manager and mayor (of Engiewood) have been critics of the merger study and have voiced their strong opposition to our merger," said Gudorf. "It's very apparent to me that spending $23,000 to hire a political consultant is simply one more step to their continued opposition. "I'm sure our citizens will view any report by a paid political consultant as one-sided."

According to Smith, Premus' work will be "totally independent" of any city interference. Rather, the city is prepared to share Premus" findings with the community, regardless if his study shows that the merger will be beneficial to all parties.

"He's done a great deal of economic studies for cities and is very well respected," said Smith. "We're looking for an in-depth, individual analysis from someone with credentials."

However, according to Gudorf, Englewood is spending taxpayers' money in an effort to defeat a possible merger. "I question his legitimacy," said Gudorf. "I do not believe it is appropriate for a paid professor to be paid additional money by taxpayers. He knows nothing about our community ... but he is being paid to take a position against the merger.

The city administration insists that it simply wants to be prepared, regardless of Premus' study, which should be completed by Sept. 15, said Smith. Of the $23,500, Walker will be paid $3,500 to conduct surveys of residents within Englewood, Randolph Township and Clayton, said Smith.