County judge/executives, mayors, magistrates, and commissioners, have strong opinions that have been addressed over the past several weeks regarding the possible merger of Fulton and Hickman Counties.
Discussion proceeded with Kentucky’s First District Judge, Hunter B. Whitesell, guest speaker, during the Fulton Rotary Club meeting July 14. “It is a conversation that never quite goes away,” Whitesell, who lives and works in both counties, said.
Whitesell made reference to a trip he had taken to the Grand Canyon, in which he heard conversation in the distance from a group and immediately knew they had to have lived within 20 miles of his home in Hickman County. As it turned out, they were from Bardwell and Mayfield.
“I felt a kinship, it is even more so between Fulton and Hickman Counties,” Whitesell said.
A diminishing population and budget deficits are on the positive end of reasons to merge, however, loss of representation and local control are at the other end of the spectrum, making conversation of merging uncomfortable for some people. Whitesell said he believes identity concerns will take care of themselves, if the two counties agree to move forward with merging.
At least 50 percent of voters from Fulton and Hickman counties must consent to merging before it can take place, through a special election, funded by the state.
Whitesell said, with the use of phones and email, communication can be made within minutes, creating a borderless government in essence. He also gave examples of mergers, within cities in Kentucky, such as Lexington and Louisville.
Hickman and Fulton Counties have experienced population decline over the past two decades.
In 1990, Hickman County’s population was 5,566. By the year 2000, 5,262 people resided in Hickman County, and by 2008, the population was down to 4,936, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Fulton County is a larger county, however, it’s population went from 8,271 in 1990, to 6,855 in 2008.
“We have harped on economic development for years. A movement to share will strengthen the bond between the area development district and the district court system,” Whitesell said.
There are 120 counties in Kentucky, in which no law prevents counties from merging. However, the judge said the movement to merge, should be handled with great care and caution, but not disregarded.
He added, he believes the counties combined would create growth and success, making national news.
Chat of merging has been ongoing since the early 1960’s according to Whitesell.
“We have been patiently waiting,” he concluded.
