Commissioners to educate voters on freeholders

Special meeting held with Herald

MOSES LAKE — Two Grant County Commissioners met Monday with the Columbia Basin Herald's editorial board — in a meeting open to the public — to further educate voters about the upcoming "freeholder" election process.

Commissioners Richard Stevens and LeRoy Allison said the process abounds with misconceptions while some voters simply know very little. They hope to change that. Commissioner Deborah Moore did not attend the meeting.

The commissioners said voters must decide two questions during the Nov. 7 general election.

First, should the county initiate a home rule charter process?

An amendment to the state Constitution in 1948 allowed Washington's 39 counties to deviate from a system of county government established by the state Legislature. To do so, counties must hold a home rule convention, which initiates an examination — and possible changes — to the inner workings of county government.

The home rule convention is held, following a simple majority of "yes" votes in November.

What is the second question?

Voters must also decide who the 21 freeholders will be. A failure of the home rule vote, though, nullifies the freeholder elections.

The nonpartisan and volunteer freeholders are empowered to review and evaluate the current system of county government, propose changes, and may eventually frame a home rule charter, the commissioners said.

Finally, voters decide whether to adopt the proposed charter.

If the charter is approved by voters, it becomes a constitution to guide county government. A new charter may significantly change the structure of county government, but it remains subject to applicable state and federal laws, Stevens said.

Last week, in a 2-1 vote, the commissioners decided the 21 freeholders would be elected from seven sub-districts within each of the three commissioner districts.

The sub-districts are made up of two or more voter precincts and represent about 3,000 people, using 2000 U.S. Census Bureau population data.

"The freeholder election structure provides for geographic participation and representation, and ensures that rural residents will have a voice in the home rule process, if it moves forward," Stevens said.

If a candidate fails to emerge from one of the 21 sub-districts, the position is filled by appointment by the full convention of freeholders, Allison said.

A special filing period is set for Friday, Sept. 15 through Thursday, Sept. 21, for the freeholder candidates. Those interested in serving as freeholders must be registered voters and residents of Grant County during the previous five years. A map of the 21 sub-districts is available at the county's Web site, www.co.grant.wa.us.

Grant County election officials placed the freeholder election process on this fall's ballot following a citizen committee's successful petition bid. The committee, led by Moses Lake real estate agent Ralph Kincaid, and dubbed Voters for Council-Manager Form of Grant County Government, collected more than the minimum of 1,965 signatures — equal to 10 percent of the voters in the last general election.

Allison said a review of the county's current system of government would educate people about how efficiently it already operates.

The push for change in county government is likely due to problems in the building and planning departments, Allison and Stevens said. Those problems are tied to Grant County's rapid growth, they said.

Two new people were hired recently to improve the departments, the commissioners said.

Six Washington counties adopted home rule, including: King, in 1968; Clallam, in 1976; Whatcom, in 1978; Pierce, in 1980; Snohomish, in 1980; and San Juan, in 2005. Home rule efforts were rejected by voters in Spokane, in 1997; Skamania, in 2001; and Clark, in 2002.

The actual language describing the home rule question to Grant County voters on the November ballot must be finalized by the commissioners by Sept. 22.