Residents in Covington and Alleghany County who want their two governments to merge are asking a judge to let citizens hammer out a consolidation plan because city and county officials have failed to come to terms.

The Covington City Council and Alleghany County Board of Supervisors missed a Saturday deadline to negotiate a consolidation agreement, despite nine months of public meetings. The deadline was established when more than 2,000 county residents and 645 Covington residents first petitioned for consolidation on Oct. 24, 2008.

Monday, residents from Covington and the county who filed the original petition asked Circuit Court Judge Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo to appoint two citizens committees to finish negotiations so a consolidation plan can be put before voters.

One committee would consist of five Covington residents and the second would consist of five Alleghany County residents. The committees would agree on a plan and then petition the court for a referendum date.

Stephen Bennett, chairman of the board of supervisors, said county officials will not ask Trumbo for more time. Bennett said he believes it's time for citizens to take charge of negotiations because city and county leaders are deadlocked. "We finally agreed that we just disagree. We just could not reach an agreement."

Covington Mayor Stephanie Clark said she is hopeful the citizens committees can succeed where city and county officials failed. Ultimately, she noted, voters in the two jurisdictions will get to decide whether any negotiated plan is good.

"Change is difficult for the community," she said. "But it's going to be up to the people to use their index finger to make that decision."

A study released in May 2008 by the nonprofit Alleghany Foundation suggested savings of more than $7 million annually could be realized with the consolidation of Covington and Alleghany County and its two towns, Clifton Forge and Iron Gate.