EDITOR’S NOTE: Stephanie Noblin of Port Angeles (email: sn@larrynoblin.com) has been videotaping the Charter Review Commission meetings.
Her 2-hour, 15-minute YouTube video of the March 11 meeting is embedded at the bottom of this page, immediately below the news story. You can see five other commission meeting videos at her YouTube website. Noblin files as “Justice Restoration.”
“PLEASE comment on these videos,” Noblin asks. “I would like to present the public’s comments to the commissioners and ask that they stream all BOCC meetings in the future. Do you agree? Are these videos helpful to you? Constructive critiques welcomed.”
PORT ANGELES — Want to be the next Clallam County sheriff?
All you need is a county residence, a voter registration card and a felony-free record to get your name on the ballot.
Current Sheriff Bill Benedict asked the Clallam County Charter Review Commission to consider a charter amendment that would require sheriffs to be certified peace officers, too.
“That would essentially solve the problem of some nut wanting to run for the office of sheriff who is not qualified, at least in law enforcement,” Benedict said.
He was one of four county officials who addressed the 15-member Charter Review Commission on Wednesday night, joining Assessor Pam Rushton, Administrator Jim Jones and Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols.
The elected charter review panel is tasked with reviewing the county charter — its “constitution” for government — and may recommend amendments for voters to consider in November.
State law requires that prosecuting attorneys be lawyers and members of the bar, Benedict said.
“Now do you want to have a sheriff who’s never arrested anyone, never run a jail?” he asked.
“I think that’s ridiculous. There’s no lack of qualified candidates that want to be sheriff that have law enforcement experience.”
Salary commission
Benedict also suggested a nonpartisan salary commission that would establish compensation for elected county officials.
Commissioner Jim McEntire last year suggested pay cuts — and later a pay freeze — for the three commissioners, assessor, auditor, community development director, sheriff and treasurer.
Those ideas failed to gain traction with Commissioner Mike Chapman and then-Commissioner Mike Doherty.
Benedict, who runs the largest law enforcement operation in the county, said he earns less than local city police chiefs.
His 2015 salary was scheduled to be $99,744, the highest among county electeds, Jones has said.
Benedict said most elected officials earn less than their chief deputies.
“One more pay raise for my undersheriff, and I’ll be making less than him,” Benedict said.
“It’s an American tradition. If you want to have excellence in government, I think you need to start with appropriate compensation for the leaders.”
Political influence
A nonpartisan compensation committee could analyze the comparables and not be influenced by politics, he said.
Each county official was given 10 minutes to explain what each one does and how the charter affects the job. They were also given a chance to suggest amendments to the charter.
The commission had 10 minutes to quiz each official.
Nichols, for example, was asked whether the Charter Review Commission should consider an amendment to make the partisan prosecuting attorney a nonpartisan position.
“The short answer is no,” Nichols said.
“I believe that the state constitution prohibits a Washington county charter from converting the office of county prosecutor from being partisan to nonpartisan.
“Personally, I think that’s a shame, I will note, because I think it’s a bad idea to have a county prosecutor be a partisan position.
“But the law is what it is.”
Nichols suggested that the charter review convene more often than every eight years.
“Given the pace at which state law evolves, there may be some merit to revisiting the review cycle,” Nichols said.
The Clallam County prosecuting attorney is also the official coroner. The county contracts with a forensic pathologist to determine the cause and nature of a death.
“I think ultimately it works pretty well in Clallam County,” Nichols said.
“I think is costs us less than moving to an elected coroner model, for example. There’s probably no great reason to change it, although being an attorney, I can make the argument either way.”
Jones gave a rapid-fire presentation about the duties of a county administrator.
He provided copies of the job description, his employment agreement, a five-year salary history and Article 6 in the county charter, which outlines the position he has held since 2006.
The administrator is the chief executive of the county who answers to the Board of County Commissioners, prepares a recommended budget and oversees day-to-day operations.
Jones declined to propose charter amendments.
“This is the people’s time, the citizens’ time, to reflect on and offer changes to their government,” Jones said.
“This is the time for the people, and I shouldn’t try and exert anything additionally.”
When asked to weigh in on Benedict’s proposal to set up a salary commission, Jones said: “I think there is merit to taking that pressure, that political pressure, off of the commissioners and to put it in somebody else’s hands.
“But on the other hand, that’s one of the central duties a commissioner has.”
Rushton gave a brief overview of her responsibilities as county assessor, includes property valuations for tax levies and the administration of special programs.
Monday meeting
On Monday, the charter review will hear from Commissioners Jim McEntire and Bill Peach, Auditor Shoona Riggs, Community Development Director Mary Ellen Winborn and Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis.
Barkhuis is also a member of the Charter Review Commission.
The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in Room 160 of the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Stephanie Noblin’s video (http://youtu.be/UK0VdCFOh1w) is embedded below:
