Hundreds of townships in Indiana serve fewer than 1,000 people each, prompting some government officials to call for consolidation to reduce wasted resources.
"[B]ased on 2009 population estimates, nearly one in five of the state's townships serve fewer than 1,000 residents -- and more than half (588) serve fewer than 2,500 people.
Not surprisingly, an Indianapolis Star analysis of November's trustee elections shows that the winner often needed to sway fewer voters than a high school class president. And in some cases, one vote would be enough: The Star also found a high number of trustee races were uncontested.
With lawmakers tackling several aspects of township reform, one issue they will confront is whether to force certain townships to consolidate."
But others argue the small sizes help foster a more vibrant democracy in those communities.
FULL STORY: Do tiny townships make sense?
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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