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.
CRC Chair Petersen said he apologizes if there was an error and Peterson could post an addendum on the CRC portion of the county's website.
County council meetings can be viewed live online. The meetings are also archived online for three months.
The first proposition changes the governing body of the county back to the former format of three members representing unequal districts by population but having equal voting power.
Lopez/Shaw's council member will represent 1/6 of the population and their council member will have 1/3 of the vote on county matters.
The second proposition takes the administration of the county away from a professional administrator and changes the county council's role from legislative to legislative and administrative duties.
The council will have the choice of handing off some of the administrative duties to a county manager. The county Council will decide whether department heads report to the thre-member council as their supervisors instead of the current system of reporting to the county Administrator who is answerable to the county Council.
The third proposition is in reaction to the current Council's practice of meeting in three-person subcommittees behind closed doors. The Open Public Meetings Act does not apply when government bodies meet in less than a quorum.
Proposition No. 1
Shall the County Charter be amended to reduce the County Council from six members nominated and elected by district to three members, each residing in a separate district but nominated and elected county-wide?
Proposition No. 2
Shall the County Charter be amended to place with the County Council those administrative and executive powers not granted to other elected officials, and to remove references to the County Administrator as the chief administrative officer, and to require that the County Council appoint a County Manager to assist the Council in carrying out its duties?
Proposition No. 3
Shall the County Charter be amended to state that all meetings of the County Council and all committees thereof be open to the public except when a private (executive) session or closed session is allowed by law?
DOCUMENTS:
Charter ballot measures:
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