In a time when local governments continue to operate under tight budgets, with little relief in sight, it’s not surprising the issue of consolidation has again made its way to the front burner. It’s nothing new for Gainesville and Hall County, which have shared some departments in years past and toyed with the idea of merging more services, from schools to fire departments and more. Such a plan was studied in the early 1990s after voters approved of it in a nonbinding referendum, though it was found that some department mergers would not save money.