COUNTY CHARTER opponent John Anderson and charter supporter Nan Henriksen show their stances on the issue.
Those who oppose the proposed Clark County Home Rule Charter say it would increase the cost of government and remove power from voters.
Those favoring the charter, to be voted on Nov. 4, say it would give citizens better representation than the current government structure.
One of the biggest changes, if the measure passes, would be to create a five-member council replacing the current three-member board of commissioners. Four of the council members would be elected within their county district while the fifth member, who would serve as council chairman or chairwoman, would be elected countywide.
Charter opponent John Anderson, a Republican Party precinct committee officer from Hockinson, believes the charter would “really diminish representative democracy in our county.”
Currently, the three members of the county board of commissioners are elected directly by the people.
“We can also un-elect them,” Anderson said. “That means the voters are powerful. With the charter, the top manager will be appointed. The voters won’t vote for him or her. We won’t have direct control over this public official.”
He added that the present setup allows citizens to talk directly with commissioners, who hold meetings weekly. The council would meet every other week.
“You know who’s in charge,” Anderson said of the current alignment. “The commissioners can be very powerful advocates for citizens dealing with agencies. With the charter, we will no longer have these representatives who can go to department heads and find things out. That would be the county executive’s (manager’s) role.”
But John McDonagh, publisher of the Vancouver Business Journal and a charter proponent, sees it differently.
“One of the criticisms of the current form of government, where commissioners are elected countywide, is that the rural citizens of the county have felt like they haven’t had a voice,” McDonagh said. “They would have someone in their district that would come from their neighborhood and would be more in sync with what’s happening in that part of the county.”
He noted that under the charter the council chair would be elected countywide, which means “at least one of the five is looking out for the good of the entire county.”
Opponents contend the revamped government would be more costly because the county manager’s salary will be raised to an unknown level to account for increased responsibility. Clark County Republicans said in their resolution to defeat the charter that the manager also will determine starting salaries for management employees as well as negotiate union contracts.
“Logic dictates that there will be increased costs to the taxpayer,” the resolution said.
Proponents say the talk of higher costs is mere conjecture.
There are websites for each side of the charter issue. The Clark County Republicans issued a formal statement against the charter and have more information at www.VoteNoCharter.com. Supporters of the charter also have a website, http://charteryes.com/.
The anti-charter website has a statement that says, “A wall of separation will be erected between the administrative bureaucracy and the duly elected representatives leading to less accountability and transparency in your county government. Transferring all executive authority to the county manager will provide coverage for politicians.”
However, that separation is one of the positive aspects of the charter, according to backers. McDonagh said the proposed setup would be like a corporate board and the corporation’s president or CEO.
“A corporate board hires a president and he or she is responsible to run the company,” he said. “The same would be true under a council. The council would hire an executive to run the county under their policies. Under the current form, the commissioners are both policy-setters and managers.”
Nan Henriksen, former Camas mayor and chairwoman of the Freeholders who wrote the document, also believes the separation would be beneficial.
“It’s a safeguard for citizens,” she said. “It protects (them) from undue influence of individual elected officials creating inconsistent implementation of county policies.”
Anderson counters that three commissioners are more responsive to citizens than a non-elected manger would be.
“When you have three guys up there, it’s pretty hard for them to hide,” he said. “They can’t hide behind a committee or a group. The larger you make these numbers, the easier it is to hide if you don’t care to make a decision. If this charter passes, we won’t be able to directly elect the people in charge.”
The Clark County Democrats’ website says a professional county manager as administrator of the county’s business would be a good change.
“This position is appointed by the commissioners and similarly they can remove their appointee,” the website said. “They cannot, however, interfere or inject themselves in the daily execution of county business as they currently can. So the existing crossover between executive and legislative powers is excised to prevent abuse and cronyism.”
However, the Republicans’ resolution says the charter limits the quantity and quality of information that can be obtained by citizens, and notes that the council would only meet twice a month.
“These Councilors will be totally dependent on staff for critical information and department oversight,” according to the resolution. “Only the at-large Council Chair is allowed to speak publicly on County business.”
Clark County Home Rule Charter forum
An informational meeting to discuss the proposed county charter and answer questions from citizens is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. Tue., Sept. 23, at the Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St.
State Rep. Liz Clark, R-Camas, and former state legislator and Clark County commissioner Betty Sue Morris have been invited to attend.
Frequently asked questions about the Charter
Q: How would the transition from a three-member board of commissioners to a five-member council be made?
A: If voters approve, the board of commissioners will become the county council on Jan. 1, 2015. The board of county commissioners’ executive authority will transfer from the board to the county administrator, who will become the acting county manager on the effective date.
On the effective date, the county council will be three members, with council districts being the same as existing county commissioner districts. Members will elect a chairman or chairwoman. Transition to a five-member council will happen on Jan. 1, 2016.
Q: How much will council members be paid?
A: Council members will make $53,000 compared to the $102,228 county commissioners currently make (Section 10.7).
Q: Can the charter be changed in the future?
A: The county council will cause an election of a charter review commission five years after adoption, if voters approve the measure in November (Section 9.1). Additional review commissions will be convened at least every 10 years after that. Charter amendments may be proposed by the charter review commission, council members or members of the public.
Q: Will citizen initiatives still be possible?
A: The people will reserve the power of initiative (Section 7.2). An ordinance or amendment to an ordinance, except as limited by state or federal law or court interpretation, may be proposed by filing an initiative petition with the auditor.
State or federal law or court interpretations prevent initiatives on compensation or working conditions of county employees or elected officials, redistricting council districts, and authorizing or repealing an appropriation of money or any portion of the annual budget. Initiatives also may not authorize or repeal taxes or fees, may not authorize or repeal any provision of a county service or program, and may not amend or repeal the charter.
Charter council/manager duties
The proposed Clark County Home Rule Charter, which will be on the November general election ballot, outlines duties the new council members would hold and what duties would be assigned to the county manager if voters pass the charter.
Here are some of those provisions:
Council members
• Levy taxes, appropriate revenue, and adopt budgets for the county.
• Establish compensation for all county employees and provide for the reimbursement of expenses.
• Adopt by ordinance comprehensive plans and land development codes, including improvement plans for present and future development in the county.
• Conduct public hearings on matters of public concern to assist in performing its legislative responsibilities.
• Set collective bargaining guidelines and approve collective bargaining agreements.
• Confirm or reject appointments to boards and and commissions forwarded by the county manager.
• Have concurrent authority with the county manager to nominate members to the Clark County Planning Commission, Clark County Historic Preservation Commission, and the Board of Equalization of Assessment.
County manager
• Supervise all administrative departments established by the charter or created by the council.
• Execute and enforce all ordinances and state statutes not assigned to other elected officials.
• Present to the council an annual statement of the county’s fiscal and governmental affairs.
• Prepare and present to the council an annual budget and budget message setting forth proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
• Prepare and present to the Planning Commission comprehensive plans, including capital improvement plans, and development ordinances for current and future development.
• Determine the organizational structure of and assign duties to administrative departments which are not specifically assigned by the charger or ordinance.
• Conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the county.
• Manage properties owned by the county.
