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Charter commission advances proposed county ombuds office with sunset and voter review
Summary
The Charter Review Commission moved forward an amendment to create an office of the ombudsman for county government, with proponents proposing language that would require voters to reaffirm the office at a later election; the commission agreed to discuss the measure and returned it for further drafting.
The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission voted to advance a proposal to create a county ombuds office to investigate complaints and improve public accountability, and the sponsor offered companion language that would require a voter review measure after the office had operated for several years.
Supporters said an independent ombuds office would give residents a nonpolitical place to raise concerns about county services, improve transparency and offer a structured review period to prevent open-ended budget commitments. The supporter offered a draft amendment and proposed adding a clause requiring the county council to place a ballot measure in 2032 asking voters whether the office should be maintained after a trial period; proponents said that would provide near-term oversight and public accountability.
Opponents asked for more time to work through budget implications and the precise powers of the office; some commissioners said they wanted to avoid creating an unbounded new program before legal and budget reviews.
After discussion the commission voted to place the ombuds amendment on a future meeting agenda for fuller consideration and drafting of the proposed sunsets and ballot-review language. The recorded vote on moving the proposal forward was 13 in favor and 2 opposed.
If the commission and county counsel finalize language and the voters approve the charter amendment, the council would then be required to fund and staff the ombuds office. The commission asked county counsel to prepare final drafting that includes the sponsor’s suggestion to ask voters after a set period whether the office should be retained.
