Clark County citizens will have a number of potential changes to the county’s governing document on their ballot in November, as Clark County Council approved two more amendments to go before voters in the 2021 general election.
During it’s July 20 meeting, the council voted unanimously on two amendments to add to the ballot, joining seven other amendments approved by the Clark County Charter Review Commission earlier this month. The council’s changes deal with the initiative and referendum process in the county, which allow voters to propose legislation or vote on acts of county council before they become law.
The first amendment approved would detail the initiative and referendum process by specifying where to file petition proposals and deadlines for the process, and would detail how the county auditor would verify those signing the petition.
At the meeting, Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said he believed the amendment would make the initiative and referendum process more transparent for county citizens wishing to use the processes.
The second amendment would change who can put forth and vote on initiatives and referenda affecting only unincorporated Clark County, requiring in those situations that the petitioners, signatures and voters live outside of the county’s municipalities.
The sole public comment came from Mimi Latta, who likened the limitation on who could vote as taxation without representation, specifically mentioning any voter action on fireworks laws in the county.
“As long as I’m responsible for costs associated with policing, firefighting, sanitation, emergency response, property damage or destruction, personal injury suits and raises in county liability insurance premiums due to fireworks use in Clark County, I should have a vote whether or not fireworks are legal in any area of Clark County,” Latta wrote.
Kimsey, who was in support of the second amendment, said he understood the logic behind the comment, though he said other home rule charter counties like King County have similar language in their charters which seem to work well.
“You can’t isolate actions to a specific geographic area, but that is the way our system is set up,” Kimsey said.
Councilor Gary Medvigy said the second amendment from council acknowledged “core principles of democracy.”
“This really enhances our ability to have people impacted by referendums or initiatives … (to) have their say, and not have others outside the area have their say instead,” Medvigy said.
Council’s proposals are in addition to seven approved by the charter review commission on July 7, which cover a wider range of potential changes to county governance.
Two of the approved amendments dealt with declarations of political parties in elected positions in county government. If approved, the first amendment would make county executive elected offices nonpartisan. Positions include the county sheriff, clerk, prosecuting attorney, auditor, treasurer and assessor. The second amendment would make Clark County Council seats nonpartisan.
The third amendment approved for a vote would change the county council districts from four to five. According to a map included in commission documents the divisions would be as follows:
• District 1 includes west Vancouver to Interstate 205.
• District 2 includes much of Vancouver’s urban growth area north of District 1 and some other unincorporated land south of Ridgefield.
• District 3 includes most of east Vancouver and the city’s urban growth area north of the state Route 500/Interstate 205 interchange.
• District 4 includes southeast Clark County including Camas, Washougal and a portion of the extreme east of Vancouver.
• District 5 consists of north Clark County, including Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center and Yacolt, but excludes Hockinson and Brush Prairie, which would be in District 4.
The change would make the at-large county chair position change to District 5’s representative, which alongside District 1 and District 2’s seat are up for election in 2022. If the amendment is approved, the county chair would be chosen by the council.
The fourth amendment would make changes to the review commission’s terms and frequency of it convening. If approved, the charter would be reviewed every five years, and charter review commissioners’ terms would increase from one to two years, or until the commission’s work was complete. The 15-member commission would also have the current three at-large positions change to three positions elected out of District 5.
Two of the resolutions deal with ethics and equity. If approved, the fifth proposed amendment would require adoption of a new ethics code and an autonomous review process.
The sixth proposed amendment would establish a diversity, equity and inclusion office and commission at the county.
The seventh proposed amendment would make minor corrections and clarifications to the charter document, according to a release from the county.
All of the amendments will require a majority of voters’ approval in the November election.
