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Committee debates informal review vs. formal study of county home rule charter
Summary
A commissioner proposed a review of Northampton County's 1976 home rule charter to identify possible amendments; members discussed whether changes would trigger a referendum and estimated a formal study could cost roughly $250,000, recommending initial informal review and targeted amendments.
On April 7 the Northampton County governance committee discussed whether to review the county's home rule charter, adopted in 1976, to identify duplications, eliminate unnecessary amendments, and consider targeted updates.
The item was introduced by Mr. Giovanni, who said he wanted the commission to review the charter internally rather than immediately create a referendum or a full formal study: "I'm not really looking to establish a commission to be on referendum. It's more of me really asking for us, a group of us commissioners, to look at it," he said.
Members debated whether an ad hoc committee or an informal review by commissioners and staff would be appropriate, and whether proposed changes might trigger a required referendum. A county adviser noted that significant or fundamental changes (for example, altering the method of selection for the sheriff) likely would require a referendum and could be subject to judicial review.
A commissioner estimated a full formal study in today's dollars would cost about $250,000 based on extrapolating the 1976 effort. Several members suggested that commissioners could flag specific sections for change and pursue discrete amendments over several election cycles rather than a single omnibus ballot question.
The committee discussed forming an informal review process and the possibility of including administration, the district attorney and the controller for input, but no formal study or referendum was launched at the meeting. Members agreed commissioners should bring forward specific charter provisions they believe need attention for public discussion.
Next steps: Commissioners will identify specific charter provisions for possible amendment and the committee will consider whether to form an ad hoc group or handle reviews in public committee meetings.
