Charter Review Commission Recommends Changes and Status Quo in Local Government

Local government review body to meet and hear from public in Eastsound

From the San Juan County Charter Review Commission Outreach Committee

The San Juan County Charter Review Commission (CRC) will meet on Saturday June 2nd at the Eastsound Fire Hall at 8 am. Public input is welcomed and there is time set aside for comments at 8:30 am. The CRC is charged with reviewing the Charter “to determine its adequacy and suitability to the needs of the County.” Proposed changes will be put on the ballot for the public to vote on in November.

The CRC has decided, by majority vote, to recommend to the voter, three changes to the current charter:
1) A three-member County Council elected countywide in both the primary and general elections (and with one residing in each of three residency districts: San Juan, Orcas and Lopez/Shaw —each including adjacent non-ferry-served islands);
2) an appointed professional County Manager who is directly responsible to the County Council, which retains both legislative and executive authority; and requiring that all meetings of the County Council or its committees, except authorized executive sessions, be open to the public.
3) The CRC also decided, by majority vote, to make no recommendation to amend non-partisan elections; the election of non-council County offices; the Citizens’ Salary Commission; initiative, referendum or mini-initiative.

Findings supporting the CRC recommendations are available at the CRC website: www.sanjuanco.com/committees/charterreview.

The website also contains documents considered in the review and the schedule of meetings. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meetings and to contact any member of the Commission to voice their opinions (e-mails sent to crc@sanjuanco.com will be received by all of the CRC members).”