Souvenirs of Yesteryear: Consolidating Chenango into three towns

If the City of Norwich dissolved itself, then the Town of Norwich would have to take it, like it or not.

The legalities are beyond me, but what if the City just reverted to being a village? Then it could keep its mayor and its aldermen would become trustees. Would this be an advantage? How does the connection between a city and a town differ from that between a village and a town?

Whatever is done, it has to be approved by the New York State Legislature, or such is my understanding. The legal aspects would need clarification. The main reason for accepting the Spitzer consolidation study would be to examine all the options in the context of the applicable laws.

But let us push the issue to another level. What if the City of Norwich wanted to become a town? Is this possible?

Chenango County currently has 21 towns. It has had this number since 1857. Does it really need 21? How about three? Consider this idea. One town would consist of the current ten towns of Lincklaen, Pitcher, German, Smithville, Otselic, Pharsalia, McDonough, Smyrna, Plymouth, and Preston. Another town would be the four and a half current towns of Sherburne, North Norwich, western Norwich, Oxford, and Greene. A third town would consist of the six and a half current towns of Columbus, New Berlin, eastern Norwich, Guilford, Coventry, Bainbridge, and Afton. The photo shows my scheme.

The populations of the three new towns would be: 24,939 in the central town; 16,665 in the eastern town, and 9,797 in the western town. Acreage would be in the reverse order: 239,360 in the western; 192,736 in the eastern, and 150,432 in the central town.