Cr Neil Oppatt supported acting quickly and not waiting until someone else put a proposal on the table.
However, he said they should also be talking to those promoting reorganisation proposals to explain how it could affect the rest of the Bay. He opposed a "pre-emptive strike" to the Local Government Commission without the support of the region's councils.
Cr David Love opposed making their position on amalgamation conditional on getting agreement from other councils. "I believe we need to give our chief executive maximum flexibility."
He said it was frightening that, once an application had been accepted for consideration by the commission, there were only 20 days to make submissions.
In a compromise to make the vote unanimous, the council agreed it would not do anything without first informing the Bay's other councils.
Cr Lyall Thurston said they needed to fast-track research that was independent, scientific and well researched.
Mr Adams responded that the council's response was predictable. He said they intended to lodge their reorganisation proposal with the commission before the general election in September. They were gathering all the information they needed to put the case, drawing on the skills of lawyers, accountants and people with an understanding of local government.
He said merging the two councils made compelling sense but it would not be a unitary authority which also took in the functions of the regional council.
Mr Adams will be promoting the merger as part of a speech today to a Tauranga Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Bay of Plenty's councils
*Western Bay's councils: Tauranga City and Western Bay District councils
*Eastern Bay coastal councils: Whakatane District and Opotiki District councils
*Central inland councils: Rotorua District and Kawerau District councils
*Bay-wide council: Bay of Plenty Regional Council
