| The Freeholders have released a draft of a Charter for Kitsap County, (www.kitsapgov.com/freehldr), that is well done and makes our County government more representative to the citizenry, improves efficiency, restores county employee morale, establishes the citizens additional rights for better control of our County government, and will suit us well for the 21st Century.
The expansion of the Commissioners, or now to be called Council Members, to 5 separate districts nominated and elected by district elections is a great idea! This gives the entire County better representation and takes the BIG money out of the Council race. As it stands now a district candidate has to raise money and run a campaign in all 3 districts.
The Freeholders were brilliant in recognizing the need for by district elections for the Council level and countywide elections for the executive positions, the people who are in charge of running the County’s day-to-day business. This brings more of the peoples voices to the table when making ordinances, adopting policy, budgets, audits, and other legislative duties. The executive side, the ones who will actually implement the legislative ordinances, will be elected at large since their duties are countywide. It’s a great form of checks and balances as citizens we are entitled to in our county government.
The Freeholders have included other power to the people provisions in the Charter that are exciting— the right of initiative, recall, referendum, and a mini-petition provision that allows the voters to petition the Council to hold a public hearing and act on a proposed ordinance. Included also, are Code of Ethics provisions and performance audits.
Thank you Freeholders, for your hard work producing a Charter that is exceptionally well conceived and will serve your fellow citizens for years to come. The Commissioner system we use now is broken and this new Charter is the fix.
Robert Knight
Kingston. |
