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This November, Whatcom County voters will have the chance to select a group of community members who will review and propose amendments to the county charter, which is essentially the local constitution that guides how the government operates.
On Friday, Sept. 13, the Rome Grange will host an educational presentation about the charter and the once-in-a-decade charter review process called: Getting to Know Charter Review. The script for the presentation was created by more than a dozen of the nearly 50 candidates who are running for the 15-member commission.
“It’s been fantastic to see the nonpartisan collaboration that went into building the script,” event facilitator Harold Phillips said.
The candidates who accepted the invitation to participate are Ryan Bowman, Liz Darrow, Robin Dexter, Lindsey Graham Elenbaas, Colleen Goertz, Colton Kaltenfeldt, Kelly Krieger, Maya Morales, Hannah Ordos, Katherine Orlowski, JG Sandy Phillips, Joel Pitts-Jordan, Jessica Rienstra, Charlene Waters, John Westerfield and Jennifer Wright.
Phillips, who is helping manage the charter review commission campaign of JG Sandy Phillips, said the candidates have agreed the presentation will be educational, with no campaigning during the program. There will be a Q&A period about the charter at the end of the presentation, but no political questions will be accepted. Attendees will get the chance to speak with individual candidates before and after the event.
“As we’ve been knocking doors the past few weeks, so many people have been really grateful to us for letting them know about the charter review election,” Phillips said. “There’s a real desire on the part of voters to know more about local government.”
The first presentation of the Getting to Know Charter Review will happen at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at the Rome Grange (2821 Mt Baker Highway, Bellingham).
Any civic organization interested in hosting the presentation for their members is encouraged to contact Phillips at harold@sandy4whatcom4.com or 503-936-4266. Phillips said he has already heard from an interested neighborhood association and a local union, with more events in the works.
Cascadia Daily News will publish an in-depth look into the history and process of charter review in its upcoming election special section in October.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.
