Commissioner Wesen: Keep status quo to preserve ag lands

In a recent interview with the Weekly News, District 1 County Commissioner Ron Wesen shared why he is against the ballot amendment for adopting a county charter. Home Rule Skagit, a nonpartisan citizens group, placed the referendum on the ballot by submitting 3,333 petition signatures that their volunteers collected this year up to the Aug. 3 submittal.

If citizens vote to create a charter, 21 freeholders, or delegates, elected in this fall’s election from 78 candidates, will meet and draft a proposal for a new form of county government. Seven freeholders will be elected from each of the three county commissioner districts.

Wesen’s biggest concern is the loss of representation in the agricultural community. “It is not really fair to have representatives from urban areas decide what rural property owners can do with their property,” he said. He suggested farmers consider nearby counties now governed by charters and organize themselves. “A lot of it has to do with rural property voters and coming together with a strong message. They saw what happened in Whatcom and Snohomish counties. They don’t want that to happen here in the Skagit,” Wesen said. He suggested talking to people in counties with charter governments to hear “how [those] citizens feel about their form of government.”

He believes a three commissioner district system provides stronger rural representation. “Populations with three commissioner districts have been able to keep rural areas involved because of the way we redistrict,” he emphasized. “When you go with larger numbers [of council members] it will be more difficult to have rural people in all the districts” represented he believes.

Wesen said the Home Rule Skagit group has not asked him or the other commissioners for information.

When voters participate in forums and seek information, he hopes they will ask “What is the problems they are trying to fix? I have no idea what that problem is but how would this fix that problem?” Wesen wonders.

Questioning the candidates for freeholder is critical for those voting for the charter, he said. “If they vote yes, then they should ask the freeholders questions because they are the ones that will be developing the charter,” he pointed out. It is important for these candidates to express their position on what they think is important for county government and express their opinions to voters.

Voters will have a “twofold question” on the ballot. The first part of the ballot measure will ask whether a charter should be prepared by a board of freeholders. This will be a straight yes/no vote. The second part will select freeholders. Regardless of whether a voter answers yes or no to the first question, they can still vote for freeholders.

If voters approve developing a charter, the elected freeholders will be responsible for drafting it. This proposal will go to the voters for consideration, probably in 2019. No change occurs to county government unless voters approve the freeholders’ proposal.