By Stan Matthews
County Website and Communications Manager
As revised Nov. 9 by Prosecuting Attorney Randall Gaylord
The approval of three amendments to San Juan County’s Charter on November 6th has launched the County government into a six month period during which it will have three different County Councils and, effective November 27, the executive authority now held by an appointed administrator will be transferred to the elected Council together with a duty to hire a county manager to assist them in the administrative duties.
The three members of the current Council whose terms end December 31st, Howie Rosenfeld, Lovel Pratt and Richard Fralick, will serve out their terms. The Council members, who were elected in the November 6th election, Mark Forlenza, Bob Jarman and Rich Hughes, will be sworn in on January 1 and serve with Richard Peterson, Jamie Stephens and Patty Miller, the three members whose terms have not expired, until the new three-member Council takes over in May.
The timeline for selecting the new three-member Council is as follows:
December 14, 2012 – filing deadline for County Council Candidates.
Beginning December 12, candidates can file in person at the County Elections Division or via fax or email. Filing fees must be received by the Elections Division no later than close of business on Friday December 14. Candidates may file via U.S. Mail with postmarks as early as November 28. Online filing will not be available.
All Council members will be selected by voters countywide, but the candidates must file for the position that corresponds to their residence – basically Orcas-Blakely, Lopez-Shaw, and San Juan Island. (Updated residency district maps will be posted on the County website shortly).
February 12, 2013 – Council Primary Election (If needed)
If more than 3 candidates have filed in any position, voters will select the two that will appear on the general election council ballot.
April 23, 2013 – Council Election
May 13, 2013 – New 3-Member Council sworn in
The Council will define the duties and extent of the authority held by the County Manager that they appoint, and the Council’s relationship with departments not headed by an elected official.
The transition process offers some interesting possibilities, including the chance that Council members could be campaigning against each other for the same seat on the three-person Council after they are sworn in for a short term on the six-person Council in January.
The timeline also complicates the recruitment of a County Manager, as it is possible that the final job description is subject to change by each Council. When appointed to serve after the resignation of Administrator Pete Rose last June, County Administrator Pro Tem Bob Jean informed the Council he would be available to serve until March 31. That was expected to be enough time to find a permanent replacement Administrator. Since the election ,Mr. Jean has indicated that he will be discussing his availability to assist in transition process after the end of March.
More information about the Charter Review Process and the Amendments is available at https://sanjuanco.com/crc
Complete election results are available at https://vote.wa.gov/results/current/sanjuan/
It’s really hard to believe this amendment passed with so much opposition…
“February 12, 2013 – Council Primary Election (If needed)
If more than 3 candidates have filed in any position, voters will select the two that will appear on the general election council ballot.”
I believe that this is inaccurate. If more than TWO candidates file in any of the districts, there will be a primary to identify the top two.