Commissioners adopt revised rules of order after heated public comments and debate

The Board of County Commissioners on March 13 adopted Resolution 029‑25, the third revision to the amended rules of order governing the board’s conduct and agenda processes. The vote was 6‑1.

Chief Counsel Trent told the board the proposed revisions reflected direction from the board’s Committee of the Whole and that she had made changes as requested. Two public commenters — Ben Hobert and Charlotte O’Hara — asked the board to delay adoption and raised process concerns. Hobert criticized the item’s late posting and said the change “should be tabled until next week so that any citizen has the opportunity to comment,” arguing the revisions would consolidate power and limit a commissioner’s ability to place items on the agenda. O’Hara said the changes “are diminishing the authority of the district commissioners” and called the approach “a power grab.”

Commissioners engaged in extended discussion about multiple changes to the rules. Topics included the process for adding items to future agendas,…