There was no discussion concerning the benefits and disadvantages of term limits imposed on locally elected officials. I fully support term limits for federal and state elected officials, but am leery of it on a local level. I like the idea of rotating different people in and out of office. But on the county level, it takes several years to learn bureaucratese, the language spoken by Human Services and the Department of Community and Economic Development. This necessarily means that unelected bureaucrats will pretty much have their way with elected officials who simply have no understanding of the lingo.
I also think the ordinances (you can read the relevant sections in my prior post) apply a different standard to him than they do to themselves. It provides that "no person who has held the office of County Executive, or acted as County Executive for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected County Executive, shall be elected to the office of County Executive more than once." Shouldn't this same standard apply to everyone?
Council member Tara Zrinski wondered whether she and John Cusick have a conflict of interest in allowing voters to decide term limits for the Controller, a position both are seeking. There is no conflict as a matter of law. She or Cusick might benefit or be hurt by term limits, but they are not voting for themselves personally. They are instead voting to allow the voters decide on term limits for the entire class of controllers, present and future, of which they may or may not be a part.
In other business, Executive Lamont McClure reported on the May 16 primary election. Democrats cast 24,878 votes, with 13,728 coming via mail. Their turnout percentage was 25.97%. Republicans cast 16,972 votes, with only 3.626 coming through the mail. Their turnout percentage was 21.23%
There was a 74% return rate on mail-in ballots.
Pre-canvassing (the tabulation of mail-in ballots) began at 7 am on Election Day, and was finished by 1:30 pm.
Unofficial election results were posted by 11:30 pm. Two of the 156 voting precinct forgot to bring back the voting sticks, which delayed the computation. All other precincts were posted by 10 pm.
Election results were formally certified on May 30, well in advance of the June 5 deadline.
"Our primary election is over," McClure concluded.
This is the most ridiculous thing yet. This Council should do the right thing and have a complete look at the Charter to see what is working and what is not working. Just because someone wants to be Executive and fears McClure will be elected for another term is no reason to change the Charter. What a bunch of idiots.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is clear whatever county council does you will attack them. Since McClure took office, you have been doing his dirty work. Whatever McClure wants you will agree. What is so bad about letting the voters decide an issue? You want to protect McClure's desire to be the leader for life.
ReplyDeleteLori will stop at nothing to hurt McClure and Zrinski, what happened to her?
ReplyDelete4:29, I have no problem with letting voters decide. I think the question re the Exec is poorly drafted and should be more clear. I oppose term limits for local officials, but have no issue with putting this out there.
ReplyDeleteIt’s probably time for an independent study commission to review the charter. Any commission should definitely include Jerry Seyfried the most knowledgeable charter individual with nothing to gain politically or otherwise
ReplyDeleteanon 6:50, It would appear McClure has problems working with people that are not under his direct control. Bernie has written about how only two members support him on everything. That is strange. Unless you vote with him on everything you are wrong? He needs to work on his interpersonal skills. It is hard to imagine that the majority of council is motivated by hate and conspiring against this executive. That is not only narcissistic it is borderline paranoid.
ReplyDeleteOk Lori
DeleteI think it's safe to say that a majority of Council do conspire against McClure. For one thing, it is now a GOP majority, and it is against their interests to see him succeed. For another, Lori Vargo Heffner would like to be county exec. It is in her political interest to find flaws with the exec. And Myers, who dug his own political grave when he demeaned the Sheriff, is clearly full of hate.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, Lamont has a hard time being himself unless he's known you 10,000 years.
I support Council being a check on executive overreach, which happened exactly once in all the time McClure has been in office. Council stopped him from having complete, unfettered control over millions that were intended for small business, and that is to their credit. McClure accepted their arguments as well, and that is to his credit.
But micromanaging is not oversight. It is actually the opposite.