Title
Adoption of a Resolution Appointing Pro and Con Committees for the Metropolitan Park District Proposition
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to appoint individuals to committees to prepare Voters' Pamphlet statements for and against a Metropolitan Park District and adopt a Resolution for transmittal to the County Auditor.
Report
Issue:
Which individuals should the City Council appoint for committees to prepare Voters' Pamphlet statements for and against the Metropolitan Park District Proposition?
Staff Contact:
Mark Barber, City Attorney, 360.753.8338
Background and Analysis:
The City Council at its July 7, 2015 regular open meeting approved an ordinance directing that a proposition be submitted to the voters for creation of a metropolitan park district.
RCW 29A.32.280 provides for the appointment of committees to prepare Voters' Pamphlet statements for and against such a proposition. Each committee is to be comprised of not more than three persons known to favor or oppose (as appropriate) the ballot proposition. The names of committee members are due to the Thurston County Auditor's office by August 4, 2015, in order to timely prepare the Voters' Pamphlet for the November 3, 2015, General Election. If the City cannot find individuals to be on the pro and con committees, the Thurston County Auditor will issue a media release to the public asking for committee members.
Process Selected by Council:
The names of the individuals who have volunteered for the committees will be brought to Council at its July 21, 2015, Council meeting. At the July 21st meeting, Council will decide on the makeup of the committees and those names will be added to the attached resolution, and the resolution will be passed by Council that night.
If Council does not have sufficient names to fill a committee:
If Council is unable to identify three individuals for each committee by its July 21st meeting, Council can appoint some individuals and direct the City Manager to continue to seek volunteers for the committees up to the time required for the City to submit the committee appointments to the County. If there are more than three volunteers for either of the committees, the City Manager would be directed to use a random process and choose the remaining committee members by lot. Information concerning the selected committee members would then be transmitted to the County in a letter from the City Manager. The letter would be accompanied by a resolution similar to the attached resolution. The resolution would need to have an additional “Section 3” that would direct the City Manager to use the random selection process to determine the remaining committee members.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
If Council does not have sufficient names to fill a committee, a news release shall be issued on July 22, 2015, and posted on the City's website informing the community of the opportunity to apply for a committee no later than July 29, 2015.
Options:
Provide direction to staff on the individuals to be appointed to committees to prepare Voters' Pamphlet statements for the Metropolitan Park District Proposition.
Financial Impact:
N/A