[CRNMC] County Charter

[Baile Oakes]

Dear All,

With due respect to all,

This meeting is not a social get together of friends.

It is meant to be a brain storming session of people who are more than interested in pursuing a county/city charter. 

My understanding is the people attending this meeting would best serve the purpose of the meeting if they are deeply invested in the concept of exploring a county charter and have the time and energy to dedicate to organizing and manifesting the work ahead for the charter to succeed.

So the first question is to ask who fits this criteria.

Of all the suggestions that have come forth so far, I suggest the following people who may or may not fulfill the dedication that is needed.

Robin Sunbeam, Steve Scalmanini, Charles Wood, Doug Mckenty, Dan Hamburg, Dan Gerde, Ellen and/or Agnes.

With respectful sincerity,

Baile


On Nov 30, 2014, at 11:01 AM, agnes at mcn.org wrote:

> Hi Robin,et al,
>        Re lunch with Norm DuVall I suggest Steve Scalmanini since he is
> on the Ukiah City Council in case we opt to do the Charter for
> City and County, and Charles Cresson Wood since he has credibility
> and support of CRN and  Transition Towns membership and is a law
> student. I would glad to move over for both of them.
> 
> Agnes
> 
> 
>> Hi Robin et al – Re having lunch with Norm: I suggest Robin, Agnes,
>> Ellen, Dan Hamburg, Dan Gjerde, and perhaps Jed Davis.  Mary
>> 
>> From: bodhirobin at pacific.net
>> Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2014 11:54 PM
>> To: Baile Oakes ; Community Rights
>> Cc: Charles Cresson Wood ; Ellen Rosser ; Agnes Woolsey ; Ian Mackenzie ;
>> Harry Ohls ; Jessie VanSant ; Mary Zellachild ; ndevall at mcn.org
>> Subject: Re: County Charter
>> 
>> Also, I spoke to Norm DeVall.  He said when
>> he was a county supervisor, that he wanted to get a charter going
>> but couldn't recruit enough support from others, but it never got off the
>> ground.  Norm said that he had communicated with the people who had
>> been involved with the previous charter effort back in the '50's.
>> It lost by 1 vote.  Norm said the "Big 4" always
>> oppose it.  1) The North Coast Builders Exchange2) The
>> Employers Council3) Farm Bureau4) Board of RealtorsNorm said they asked
>> for an "Economic Impact Report" before
>> putting a charter on the ballot.  He suggests we find out if we will
>> need one, or that was an obstacle invented by the Big 4.  Norm wants to
>> have a dinner at his house in Elk with 6 advocates of a
>> county charter.He also wants to know more about the public bank.  He
>> asked who could tell him more.  I said I could but I think he needs
>> to hear it from someone more authoritative than me.  Maybe Marc
>> Armstrong?  Locally, no one knows more about it than me, Ellen or
>> Agnes.It looks like the CA Government Code states that 2
>> things go on the ballot together.  One is the charter question
>> stated in GC34453, and the other are the individuals who are running
>> for election to the Charter Commission.  Each person
>> running for the Charter Commission has to get on the ballotthe same
>> way I got on the ballot to run for Assessor, with a petition of
>> voters' signatures.  If the charter question fails, it doesn't matterwho
>> got elected to the Commission.  But if the charter question
>> passeswith 50% +1 votes, then the 15 best voted candidates become
>> Commissioners. Sounds like a bonanza of fees to the county,
>> having a ballot measure and 15+ candidates all paying fees to run
>> for election.  The statute does saythat the government has to foot
>> the bill for the election.  It keeps
>> saying "for a city or a city and county."  Nothing here mentions a county
>> alone.  I wonder if these are the wrong statues?
>> In Peace, Robin34450.  Any city or city and county may enact, amend, or
>> repeal a
>> charter for its own government according to this article or Article 3
>> (commencing with Section 9255) of Chapter 3 of Division
>> 9 of the Elections Code.  34451.  The charter may be proposed by a
>> charter commission chosen by the voters of the city or city and
>> county, at any general or special election, but no person shall be
>> eligible as a candidate for the commission unless he or she is a
>> registered voter of the city or city and county.  34452.  (a)
>> An election for choosing charter commissioners may be called by a
>> majority vote of the governing body of a city or city and county, or
>> on presentation of a
>> petition signed by not less than 15 percent of the registered voters
>> of the city or city and county. The petition shall be
>> verified by the authority having charge of the registration
>> records of the city or city and county and the expenses of the
>> verification shall be provided by the governing body thereof. The
>> governing body shall call an election pursuant to Sections 1000 and
>> 10403 of the Elections Code.    (b) If any vacancy arises in a
>> charter commission established for a city or city and county
>> pursuant to this chapter, the vacancy shall be filled by an
>> appointment by the mayor of the city or city and county. 34453.  At an
>> election the voters shall vote first on the question "Shall a charter
>> commission be elected to propose a new
>> charter?" and, secondly, for the candidates of the office of
>> charter commissioner. If the first question receives a majority of
>> the votes of the qualified voters voting thereon at the election,
>> the 15 candidates for the office of charter commissioner receiving
>> the highest number of votes shall forthwith organize as a charter
>> commission. However, if the first question receives less than a
>> majority of the votes of the qualified voters voting thereon at the
>> election no charter commission shall be deemed to have been elected.
>> 34454.  Candidates for the office of charter commissioner
>> shall be nominated either in the same manner provided for the
>> nomination of officers of the municipal or city and county
>> government, or by petition substantially in the same manner provided
>> by general laws for the nomination by petition of candidates for
>> public offices to be voted for at general elections.
>> 
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