As a former freeholder at the time that the present charter was initiated, I would like to make some observations on the comments I have heard about the charter revision.

I do think that the number of council members should be limited to the three and run county-wide on a nonpartisan basis. It would serve no useful purpose for them to run under a political banners and then have the odd man out situation that we had in years past. It served no useful purpose and was a waste of money. The most disturbing thing that I heard was giving those council members the authority to run the County.

Management is a skill and generally those that run for public office with enthusiasm to do good for their constituents and county as a whole are not qualified to manage. I was on several county committees and saw what happens when you put three people, having equal power, in charge of running the County – chaos.

No successful organization of any kind would subscribe to running operations with that kind of hierarchy.  Elected official better serve their constituents implementing policy rather than  hands on administration. I think the transition to a three council board can be easily administrated by the present council. I caution that the new charter guarantee, as the old, that elected council members, enact policy only, and cannot interfere with the administration and management of the county by the administrator.

Of course the council can hire and fire the administrator.

Walter Corbin

Orcas Island