Clark County Charter Review Commission sets town hall meetings

Clark County’s Charter Review Commission will host a series of town hall meetings to get feedback from residents on 15 proposed amendments under consideration.

Town hall events will take place in each of the five county council districts.

• District 1: 10 a.m.-noon May 23 in the Columbia Room at Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St., Vancouver.
• District 2: 3-5 p.m. Sunday in the Bud Van Cleve Room at Luke Jensen Sports Complex, 4000 N.E. 78th St., Vancouver.
• District 3: 2-4 p.m. June 14 at Cascade Park Community Library, 600 N.E. 136th Ave., Vancouver.
• District 4: 3-5 p.m. June 6 at the Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave., Camas.
• District 5: 1-3 p.m. June 7 in the Moulton Falls Room at the Battle Ground Event Center, 912 E. Main St., Battle Ground.

Clark County’s home rule charter serves as the county’s rule book for how county government operates. The charter, which cannot override state and federal laws or constitutions, mandates a new board of commissioners review the charter for proposed changes every five years.

The 15-member commission has proposed about 40 charter amendments covering a wide range of subjects, including improvements to law enforcement staffing, term limits for county councilors, lowering thresholds for initiatives and referendums, and oversight of complaints regarding county operations. The commission postponed consideration of several amendments until 2027, including one banning county support for light rail and road tolls.

Changes to the charter recommended by the review commission must go to a countywide vote in a general election. Proposed amendments are expected to be submitted to the county auditor by Aug. 4 for inclusion in the November general election ballot.

Those wanting to provide written comment can do so via the county’s website.