4 Cleveland suburbs consider merger to save money

Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND

Decades ago, they split apart. Now, Moreland Hills, Orange, Pepper Pike and Woodmere are considering merging in the most significant step toward regionalism that Cuyahoga County has ever seen.

The four East Side suburbs — which along with Hunting Valley once made up Orange Township — already share a school district, recreation programs and senior services. Last year, they studied sharing police, fire and public works. And Wednesday they announced they will study whether joining together could save their residents serious money.

“It’s time for the mayors of these small communities to try to come together to curb all the expenses we have,” Woodmere Mayor Charles Smith said at a downtown news conference.

Planners and other good-government advocates have long viewed Cuyahoga County, with its 59 communities, as ripe for mergers, collaborations or tax-sharing agreements.