San Juan County Charter

Vote will proceed, Supreme Court denies injunction request

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The state Supreme Court denied the request for an injunction to stop the April 23 election of three new council members. It also denied the request to delay them from taking office May 13.

PDF of Letter from Court

Are Peterson, Miller and Stephens entitled to full terms under Charter?

San Juan County Charter

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One of the issues raised by Attorney Stephanie O'Day in the court case regarding the amendments to the County Charter is that multiple changes were listed in the each of the three propositions. The Washington Supreme Court will decide if there is merit in that argument. Even without their decision, it is clear the language in the amended Charter is causing confusion.

Charter limits ability to change district boundaries to CRC

San Juan County Charter

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Well, nothing like being given an incorrect document to use. The copy sent to San Juan Islander by Prosecutor Randy Gaylord wasn't the official Charter adopted after the election. This story is being rewritten to correct any problems caused by Gaylord referring to the wrong document.

Appeal will be filed in Charter case; may go direct to WA Supreme Court

San Juan County Charter

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San Juan Island Attorney Stephanie O'Day, who represented plaintiffs Mike Carlson, Jerrold Gonce and Jeffrey Bossler, in their case challenging the legality of the three voter-approved amendments to the county's Home Rule Charter will file an appeal to Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer's ruling.

Judge to give ruling in writing before election

San Juan County Charter

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This story has been changed to correct the status of the necessary parties.

Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer enjoyed hearing the case challenging the validity of the three voter-approved Charter Amendnents as it is rare to hear Constitutional cases in Superior Courts. He complimented both San Juan County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord and the plantiff's attorney Stephanie O'Day for the way they handled the case. He promised his ruling, which will be written, well before the April 23 general election. The ballots are printed on March 15.

Complaint filed to void Charter Propositions 1, 2, and 3

San Juan County Charter

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Today, December 4, 2012, in Skagit County Superior Court, three San Juan County residents, Michael Carlson, Jeffrey Bossler and Jerrold Gonce have filed a complaint arguing that Propositions 1, 2 and 3 should be declared void as a matter of law.

Charter bans redrawing of district boundaries by Council or Initiative

San Juan County Charter

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This is the THIRD version of this article due to inaccuracy of the information which was available. The Charter posted on the county's website is missing a section. Prosecutor Randy Gaylord said the section will be added when the Charter is codified.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 the San Juan County Council discussed council members Rich Peterson's and Marc Forlenza's proposal to amend the county's Charter through the council ordinance/voter approval process. There was talk by other council members that the process should be done through a citizens initiative.

Apparently the council did not realize district boundaries cannot be redrawn through a citizens initiative. Peterson and Forlenza were not aware the Charter doesn't allow the council to redraw the boundaries either.

5-member county council elected by districts a possibility

San Juan County Charter

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San Juan County Council will discuss a draft ordinance that contains two propositions changing the number of council members to five, cutting the salaries in half and changing to district instead of county-wide elections. The discussion is set for at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 26.

Judge rules in favor of county, Charter Amendments upheld

San Juan County Charter

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Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer's February 26, 2013 ruling, released this afternoon, upheld the San Juan County's voter-approved amendments to San Juan County's Home Rule Charter.

The plantiffs's lawsuit asking for an injunction stopping the April 23 election was dismissed and the election will be held.

The county council will consist of three members rather than the current six

Judge to hear Charter case Feb. 19 in SJC Superior Court

San Juan County Charter

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The case filed to invalidate the three amendments to the Home Rule Charter, by three citizens, Jerrold Gonce from Lopez Island, Mike Carlson from San Juan Island and Jeffrey Bossler from Orcas Island, will be heard by Skagit County Superior Court Judge Meyer in San Juan County Superior Court beginning at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 19.

3 Charter Amendments submitted for Nov. 6 ballot

San Juan County Charter

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San Juan County Council passed a motion acknowledging receipt of the Charter Review Commission's (CRC) resolution for the ballot amendments which will appear on the Nov. 6, 2012 General Election. The Council's motion was pro forma and did not represent any endorsement of the amendments.

Council member Rich Peterson questioned CRC Chair Gordy Petersen about the findings.

The council member said his comments were misquoted and the meaning misrepresented. He asked what could and would be done.

San Juan County Charter

Vote will proceed, Supreme Court denies injunction request

Are Peterson, Miller and Stephens entitled to full terms under Charter?

Charter limits ability to change district boundaries to CRC

Appeal will be filed in Charter case; may go direct to WA Supreme Court

Judge to give ruling in writing before election

Complaint filed to void Charter Propositions 1, 2, and 3

Charter bans redrawing of district boundaries by Council or Initiative

5-member county council elected by districts a possibility

Judge rules in favor of county, Charter Amendments upheld

Judge to hear Charter case Feb. 19 in SJC Superior Court

3 Charter Amendments submitted for Nov. 6 ballot

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