Published Nov. 21, 2009

By NICK WERNER
nwerner@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE — Delaware County Commissioners have severed ties with the city of Muncie in their lobbying efforts, drawing the ire of Mayor Sharon McShurley.
The commissioners this week hired Elizabeth Rowray to lobby state and federal lawmakers on behalf of Delaware County government, ending a longstanding agreement between the city and the county to lobby together under the same consultant, a firm known as BKSH and Associates.
“We wanted to get a little more one-on-one attention,” commissioners president Todd Donati said.
Donati said having the same lobbyist representing the two largest government bodies in Delaware County presented a conflict. He also cited a desire to have more lobbying at the state level than BKSH provided.
The split, Donati said, had nothing to do with ongoing tension between the city and the county.
McShurley, who did not know about the county’s withdrawal until after the fact, disagreed that the existing arrangement presented a conflict. She argued the split would end up hurting the Muncie-Delaware County community.
“The unfortunate part is that now we’ll be competing against the county and the county will be competing against us,” she said.
Donati responded that having one more lobbyist would benefit the city and county.
All three commissioners are Democrats.
McShurley is a Republican.
The commissioners this week signed a two-year contract with Rowray and her Grace James Consulting, effective Jan. 1, at a cost of $50,000 a year.
The previous arrangement cost the county $72,000 a year.
Commissioners said they are working on a plan in which the town of Yorktown would pay Delaware County up to $2,000 a month to use Rowray’s services as well.
While Muncie presented a conflict in the commissioners eyes, Donati said Yorktown was different because it was smaller and had fewer needs.
Rowray has served for the past few years as vice president of technology and advancement at the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance.