The County’s Home Rule Charter (Article XII) allows voters to petition County Council to consider specific legislation (initiative) or for voters to bypass County officials and place legislation on the ballot for consideration by the voters (referendum). That article also describes how the Charter itself can be amended through a referendum through an ordinance or initiative. There have been questions on the ballot regarding “resign to run” and there were several competing ballot questions on the drink tax in 2008 that never made it in front of the voters, but up until now there has not been a voter initiative. The upcoming Council meeting involves the second reading of an initiative to place a moratorium on natural gas drilling in County parks with the exception of Deer Lakes Park.
The County’s administrative code outlines the procedures for initiative and referendum: both have to be germane to County government and there is a long list of items that cannot be subject of an initiative or referendum. There are naturally requirements for circulating, filing, and certifying documents. Specifically, when it comes to acting on an initiative, the code states “No later than the 60th day from the date that the Agenda Initiative Petition has been certified as sufficient by the County Council Clerk, the County Council shall consider the ordinance being proposed by advertising the title and summary of the proposed ordinance in the manner provided in § 311.04 of this Administrative Code. The advertisement shall indicate that the proposed ordinance has been proposed through an Agenda Initiative.” Thus far the ordinance was referred to a committee and returned without recommendation.
