El Paso County officials are trying to borrow Ellen Smyth, the city's director of Environmental Services, for at least a couple of months. 

Some city and county leaders said the plan a disaster waiting to happen, while others said it's a creative solution that will save taxpayers money. 

"It's a win for everybody," said El Paso Mayor, John Cook. 

Not everyone agrees with Cook. City Council members Emma Acosta and Eddie Holguin said they'll vote against the proposed collaboration Tuesday. 

"The last time that we sent a department head over there to the county, a city department fell apart," Holguin said. 

The city lent its Chief Financial Officer to the county from August 2011 to August 2012. 

"An entire department fell apart and we're still not out of that entire mess," Holguin said. "Why council would want to then turn around and send other department heads over is mind boggling to me." 

"The problem with that argument is that the tax office is actually not in (the CFO's) portfolio," Cook said. 

"The county should evaluate whether it should hire its own employees verses causing problems," Holguin said. 

El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar said the county can hire its own managers, but there's a benefit to the collaboration. 

"The whole point of collaboration and shared services is to avoid duplication," Escobar said. "The goal is to save taxpayer dollars." 

Escobar said that in tough economic times, collaboration is a creative solution. 

Holguin said if Smyth is not needed by the city for months then her position should be eliminated, saving the city money. 

Both Cook and Escobar said the new wave of government serves many purposes, even for the department heads. 

"They learn about the other form of government and the things that they do, and they can lend their expertise about what the city does too," Cook said. 

If you have a story that you feels deserves media attention, contact Ric Dupont at ric.dupont@kfoxtv.com.