Charter Review Commission adopts temporary-rule amendment, delays votes on prosecutor nonpartisanship and signature thresholds

The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission voted to send a proposed procedural change to the November ballot and postponed two other high-profile charter items pending further legal and drafting work.

The commission approved an amendment that says the member of the charter review commission who receives the most votes will convene the first meeting and propose temporary operating rules for adoption by the full body. Commissioner Muschler read the text into the record: “The member of the commission that receives the greatest number of votes shall convene the first commission.” The commission then accepted substitute wording offered in discussion that a convening commissioner “shall propose temporary operating rules for adoption by the body to facilitate the creation of the permanent organization.” The measure passed on a roll call 13–2.

Commissioners and members of the public said the change is intended to avoid the procedural confusion that marked earlier commissions.…