An olive branch brought by city leaders to the Adams County of Board of Supervisors meeting Monday was quickly stripped bare and turned into a switch.

“How dare the city consider reducing the size of government through consolidating city and county services?” a couple of supervisors clearly telegraphed to the world.

What’s worse, those supervisors indicated, is that the city dared ask the county to put up $4,000 to hire some state experts to lead a discussion of the matter.

That some of the elected leaders of our community cannot sit down and peacefully discuss a matter of public importance is just shameful.

The majority of business owners in the city  — read significant portions of the tax base — seem to have interest in at least understanding what may be saved in working together.

But a select group of supervisors continue to create division and balk at change, particular if that change might diminish their power.

Logically, we still firmly believe consolidating some city and county services makes sense and should save money.

But it would appear any consolidation efforts are likely dead on arrival with some of our current crop of elected officials. Public citizens can make consolidation a reality, but it’s going to take going to the voting booth and choosing some new faces first.

Those inside government cannot fathom how to make government smaller or more efficient, but the private sector can — and should.