By Charlie Bermant
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Fifteen Jefferson County residents may have the opportunity to shape the county’s future by being elected a freeholder on a board that will be charged with writing a charter document that is intended to tailor county government’s structure to the will of its people.
“This is like going back to the 1770s and being at the constitutional convention. How could you not want to be a part of that?” said Jim Boyer, a 2010 candidate for county commissioner who said he plans to run as a freeholder.
“We can reform a government that has a chance of being representative of the people.”
Home-rule charters are permitted by the state constitution as a way counties can provide their own forms of government that might differ from the commission form prescribed by state law.
Clallam County is one of six counties out of the state’s 39 that has a charter system.
Unlike other charter counties, which adopted a council-executive form of government, Clallam kept a three-member county commission.
Home-rule charters also can provide the powers of initiative and referendum to the voters of their counties.
All charter counties have adopted initiative and referendum powers.
Jefferson’s charter process began with submitting more than 2,500 signatures requesting two measures for the Nov. 6 ballot.
The first will ask voters whether the charter process should begin, with a simple majority of voters needed to move ahead, and whether freeholders should be elected.
The second part of the ballot names the freeholders, which will be the top five vote-getters for each position.
Five freeholders will be elected from each of the three commissioner districts.
Enough signatures
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office received the petitions
July 30, then verified a number of signatures just over the 2,010 signatures required.
The auditor has scheduled a special filing period for freeholder candidates, Aug. 14-16 from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The special filing period also will accommodate candidates filing to run for the proposed Kala Point and Port Ludlow parks districts, issues that also will use a two-stage measure in the fall.
An informational session for freeholder candidates has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 12 in a location yet to be determined, at which time the responsibilities of running will be discussed.
The highest vote-getter in each commissioner district will lead that delegation, while the highest overall vote-getter will serve as chair for the charter commission until it can elect its own chair from the membership.
The first freeholder meeting must take place within 30 days of the election’s certification in late November, and the board’s term expires on June 20, 2015.
Charter proponents expect that the process will last about a year, and they hope to see the vote to determine the county’s structural future appear on the November 2014 ballot.
“We want to give them time to finish the work but we don’t want to stretch this out forever,” County Administrator Philip Morley said.
County commissioners Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling for the two charter-related measures to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot during a meeting that filled its chambers to the 49-person capacity.
Several of those attending said they intend to run as freeholders.
“I’m considering a run because I think there should be freeholders who were not part of the petition process,” said Bruce Cowan of Port Townsend.
“It’s important that we get big-picture civic-minded people to submit their names as a freeholder.”
“This is an excellent idea,” said Tom Thiersch.
“It’s about time the citizens had a voice in the government.”
The charter petition was submitted by the Community Rights Coalition of Jefferson County, whose members cite the development of a bill of rights for Jefferson County citizens and the institution of an initiative process.
Once the freeholder board meets, it could take any action and will not necessarily follow the group’s agenda — and could write a completely different county charter.
Once completed, the charter would require a majority vote to become law.
Home-rule charters cannot affect the election of the prosecuting attorney, judges of the Superior Court or the jurisdiction of the courts, according to the state.
Other than those offices, charters can provide for any county officers deemed necessary to perform county functions.
For instance, the Clallam County charter — alone in the nation — designates the Department of Community Development director as an elected position.
Clallam County adopted its charter in 1979 and has amended it several times since.
Other charter counties are King (adopted in 1969), Pierce (1981), Snohomish (1980), Whatcom (1979) and San Juan (2005).
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
