Perhaps the long term plan is to only have one elder in each congregation, sort of like going back to the days of the congregation servant. The newly unappointed elders would be assistants to the congregation servant - just like the old days before 1972.
Since the over 80s elders won't be eligible for this position it would fall to a younger more zealous brother than a feisty old older one.
This way the CO would only have to control one person, discipline or replace one elder per congregation if they didn't tow the line.