Charter would define local control

To the Editor;

Commissioner Torbett somehow thinks that PROACT! can manipulate the County Charter Commission process to produce a preconceived outcome that would hold power over the county commissioners. That is not the “truth”! Every step of the charter process is held in check by the voters of Piscataquis County; all of the voters!

First, the citizens’ initiative petition to form the Charter Commission must be signed by at least 741 voters. If that moves forward, then a nine-person Charter Commission is formed. Three of the members are appointed by the county commissioners, to include one of the commissioners. The other six are elected by the voters, with two elected from each of the three county districts. Anyone can take out nomination papers.

Commissioner Torbett is correct in stating that the default form of county government is derived from the Legislature, but in 1977 the Legislature created “a method for each county, by vote of its voters, to determine the structure of county government in that county” (MRS Title 30-A, Chap. 11). The Maine Constitution does not need to be amended. Five counties currently have charters.

The Charter Commission collectively decides what to include in the charter. It’s true that the number of county commissioners could be increased. It’s also true that recall procedures could be put in place for elected county officials. It is up to the Charter Commission to decide if that is something to be considered.

When the commission drafts a proposed charter, it is subjected to a legal review, presented to voters in public meetings and ultimately left to the voters to either accept or reject at the polls. At the end of the process, the Charter Commission is dissolved.

PROACT! advocates for good governance. PROACT! does not decide what the charter should look like. The voters do. That is the definition of local control.

Eric Boothroyd

PROACT! Charter Petition Committee 

Dover-Foxcroft