KALAMAZOO (WKZO) -- Southwest Michigan First plans to roll out a report and recommendations on consolidating police and fire services in Kalamazoo County later this fall.  County Administrator Peter Battani is working with the managers in Portage and Kalamazoo on their own separate list of consolidations.

A new survey just released by the Business Leaders for Michigan has found that area residents generally support the idea of consolidating services to cut costs, but oppose consolidating governments.  The survey, conducted by Glengariff Group, found that there is general support for combining public transit, parks, and administrative functions like purchasing.

The survey also found less enthusiasm for consolidating police, fire and school operations, as well as outright opposition to dissolving towns, townships and villages to turn over their duties to county governments.