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Dorchester County Council introduces multiple charter amendment questions for 2024 ballot
Summary
The Dorchester County Council voted July 2 to introduce several charter amendment resolutions — covering budget dates, residency requirements for senior staff, manager responsibilities, governmental transparency and council term limits — and to advance them to public hearings and the 2024 general election ballot.
Dorchester County Council members on July 2 introduced a slate of resolutions to place multiple charter amendment questions before voters at the 2024 general election.
Clerk Donna F. Lane presented resolutions that would: require an administrative structure review within the first fiscal year of each council term (Article 4, Sec. 409); change the dates for budget preparation and adoption (Article 5, Secs. 504 and 507(b)); remove residency requirements for the county manager and the director of finance (Article 4, Sec. 406; Article 5, Sec. 501); clarify county manager responsibilities and vacancy procedures (Article 4, Sec. 405); add a governmental transparency provision (new Sec. 606 to Article 6); and limit consecutive council terms to three four-year terms (Article 2, Sec. 206).
The proposals were introduced for public hearing after members of the Charter Review Commission in attendance signaled support. Council President George L. Pfeffer, Jr. said draft ballot language will be posted on the county website to allow public input. Pfeffer also explained—citing County Manager Jerry Jones' earlier concern—that the Council will present the budget preparation and adoption date changes as two resolutions but may consolidate them into a single ballot question if necessary so that passage or rejection of one would not unduly hinder the county's budget process.
Councilman Mike Detmer moved to introduce the budget preparation date resolution; Councilman Ricky C. Travers moved the administrative review and other resolutions. During the term-limits introduction, Councilman William V. Nichols registered opposition on the record, though the Council moved forward with introduction and a public hearing was scheduled.
Because the items are charter amendments, the County Attorney will certify the local ballot questions to the State Board of Elections as required by state law. The Council did not adopt final ballot language at the July 2 meeting; the resolutions advance the proposals to the public hearing and certification steps.
The Council will accept public comment at the scheduled hearings before deciding whether to place each proposed amendment on the ballot in its final certified form.
