Community leaders from Ellettsville and Richland Township have finished a complete draft plan on how they could join as a single government.

Since December, subcommittees comprised of residents have crafted proposals for how aspects of such a plan would work, and on Wednesday evening the Reorganization Committee approved the final set of recommendations, on planning and zoning.

The Reorganization Committee will vote on the draft in its entirety next Wednesday, passing it on to the township board and town council for hearings and possible revisions.

Committee member William Ellis, who also serves on the town council, said he expects that vote to pass easily.

“This really for the most part is a wrap of the Reorganization Committee and our work, and I want to say I really enjoyed working with all of you,” he said. “I think somebody said it – so I’m stealing it and don’t know who to give credit for – but if this could be our new council, I’d love it.”

Town and township governments began exploring the possibility of a unified, town-style government in November. Supporters of reorganization say it could relieve rural residents of Monroe County’s stringent zoning codes and give them a bigger voice in local government while mitigating the loss of property tax revenue due to changes in state law. Some also feared the statehouse would eliminate township governments, although a bill to do so failed to pass last session.

Ultimately, the decision lies with voters living in the affected areas. A referendum will be held in November after the plan undergoes revisions based on public comment, government review and consultant feedback.

The draft may receive pushback when presented to the Ellettsville Town Council, two members of which have criticized the reorganization process for what they consider a lack of transparency.

The subcommittee reports included in the plan are available on the Ellettsville town website.