Cherokee County residents will have their second opportunity to voice their opinions about consolidation at a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Macedonia Fire Department, 337 Macedonia Road.

State law requires three public hearings be held before a consolidation charter can be approved. The first public hearing was held Feb. 28 at the Gaffney City Hall. Sixteen residents attended and questioned such topics as double taxation, trash pickup and equal representation.

The consolidation commission is asking for the public's input to help them determine the best direction to take.

Consolidation does not automatically mean combining all local governments into one group. The commission has the option of adopting a more narrow focus on specific issues such as combining government services provided to taxpayers.

The 18-member commission has one year to complete a consolidation study and place the issue on the November 2006 ballot. A consolidation charter would have to be approved by a two-thirds majority of commission members before the issue could be put before voters.