I believe elders in this case are like departmental heads with lots of people eying their jobs. If they don’t comply when the CO visits them they get the chop and somebody much worse will take over.
I don’t envy them, I spoke to an elder and he somehow expressed his doubts in this arrangement and then changed the discussion. No one trusts anyone with anything, what guarantee they have a R&F will not report them to another elder or CO - elder x has doubts and does not like the new arrangement.
After all it all about position in the congregation. Some are totally brainwashed they will not notice and others are afraid to talk and very few will get the chop for raising doubts when the CO will come.