Liz Darrow elected chair; Jennifer Wright elected vice chair of Whatcom County Charter Review Commission

Liz Darrow, a commissioner representing District 1, was elected chair of the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission on Monday, Jan. 6, after a roll-call vote split 8-7.

Darrow won the chair race over fellow commissioner Doug Chadwick after nominations and a roll-call election at the commission’s inaugural meeting in the Whatcom County Council chambers. Andrew Redding nominated Darrow; Eamon Collins seconded that nomination. Chadwick was nominated later in the process. The commission held a public roll-call vote that produced the 8–7 result in Darrow’s favor.

The commission also elected Jennifer Wright, a commissioner for District 3, as vice chair. After a contested vote, Wright prevailed; the chair announced the vote and confirmed the outcome for the record.

The elections followed a brief procedural dispute about whether the commission should adopt its rules of order before conducting officer elections. Commissioner Joe Ellenbosch and others said the rules should be adopted first and raised Sturgis versus Robert’s Rules as alternatives for governing procedure; the convener, Liz Darrow, and other members proceeded with nominations and the vote after the commission agreed to elect a chair by simple majority.

Kirsten Smith, the council legislative analyst assigned as commission staff, called the roll and read vote tallies for the record during both elections.

The newly elected chair and vice chair will lead the commission as it prepares a schedule of meetings, adopts procedural rules and solicits public comment over the coming months.