"This consolidation cannot be done without a government buy-in."
                                         - Written statement to the State Boundary Commission by the Mayor 
                                 of Saugatuck.

Fact:   The mayor's statement is simply not true.  Local governments have no legal power to obstruct citizen efforts promoting consolidation.  If the voters approve consolidation in a referendum, it becomes law. Whether a current mayor (or any other bureaucrat) agrees or not-- or has "bought in"--is entirely irrelevant.  To suggest otherwise is yet another indication* that certain of our elected officials have a very exaggerated opinion of their personal power, and apparently are not averse to pushing the ethical limits to retain it.  (*Other examples here.)