Times Staff Report

CROWN POINT | The Good Government Initiative will continue despite a job change by the project manager.

Kenneth Murray will continue to help Lake County officials implement the findings of an efficiency study recently authored by Maximus, a Reston, Va., consulting firm, said Justin Kitsch, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky.

Murray recently left Maximus and now works for TATC, a Betheseda, Md., consulting firm, but he and Maximus will maintain a relationship with the initiative.

The Good Government Initiative is an effort by Visclosky and Indiana University Northwest's Local Government Academy to reduce any waste or duplication of services among local government agencies. It is being financed by BP, Mittal Steel, NiSource, U.S. Steel and Whiteco.

Kitsch said a committee of county officials is preparing to address the study released earlier this year. The study concluded county officials are spending $5 million to $6 million a year more than necessary and should cut at least 72 jobs, consolidate departments and reduce the county's fleet of vehicles.

Kitsch said his office will await the results of implementation of current studies before going forward with any new projects.