Commissioner files county-clerk charter amendment; commission votes to seek comment from judges, clerk and prosecutor

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Commissioner Ron Richards presented a proposed charter amendment on Aug. 25 that would clarify the role and appointment process for the superior court clerk; commissioners voted to circulate the draft to judges and county officials for comment.

Richards said the amendment is intended to preserve core clerk duties in the charter and to clarify that judges have a role in selecting the clerk. "As it is, without the charter assigning any duties to the clerk, the commissioners could actually take all of the duties of the clerk," Richards said, urging the commission to send the proposal to the superior court judges, the county clerk, the prosecuting attorney and the county commissioners.

Commissioners debated whether to forward the draft for comment and whether judges would recuse themselves from commenting on potential challenges; Richards and others said that judges and county officers should be asked for input because any future challenge could bring the issue before the courts.

A motion to circulate the draft for comment was made and seconded. The commission chair called for a voice vote; commissioners signaled approval and the motion passed. The chair instructed staff to send Richards's document to the superior court judges, the county clerk, the prosecuting attorney and the county commissioners with a request for comment.

Commissioners asked staff to note which members voted against the motion; during the meeting the chair named several commissioners who opposed the motion and the chair said staff would clarify the record.

Richards said he would also like the clerk and prosecuting attorney to review the draft and that the commission should send the proposal to the superior court judges before the commission moves the amendment forward to step 2 of the charter-review process.