AN ORDINANCE proposing to amend the Preamble to the King County Charter to include among the charter goals, equitable government, a strong urban and rural economy and superior quality of life and to make a grammatical correction; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at a special election to be held in conjunction with the November 2, 2021, general election.
All right, with nobody signed in and nobody present to offer testimony. We will advance, he said, scrolling through his notes to item five on the agenda. And that is proposed ordinance 2021 184 I'm in our last meeting. Sam Porter provided a staff report on proposed on the proposed ordinance which would send to the November ballot a proposed proposal to make changes to the Turner's preamble. I miss Porter, can you please rewind and reorient us to the legislation and amendment? Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can you hear me okay? We can. Okay, great. Sam Porter, Council Policy Staff. The documents for this item begin on page seven of your packet today. This charter amendment recommended by the Charter Review Commission would propose, including the context of equitable government, a strong urban and rural economy, and a superior quality of life among the counties. Goals in the Preamble to the Charter. Along with making one grammatical correction. The preamble serves as the introduction to the King County Charter and provides a brief statement on the activities, goals and objectives of King County Government. The four changes to the preamble included in proposed ordinance 2020 10184 can be seen in context beginning on page eight of your packet. The first change would insert the words equitable and for all in reference to the operation of King County government. The second change would correct the grammatical error and the spelling of the word ensure. The third change would add, protect and enhance in reference to a healthy, rural and urban environment and economy. And the fourth change would be to insert the goal to promote a superior quality of life. To place this on the November 2nd ballot. The last regular council meeting for adoption is July 28, and the deadline for elections to receive the effective ordinance is August 3rd. There is an amendment to the proposed ordinance to correct grammatical mistake. This amendment is on page 13 of your packet. That concludes my remarks. I'm available to answer any questions and Louise Miller may be on the line. She was the co-chair of the Charter Review Commission. Thank you. I'm checking participants. I don't see Councilmember Miller with us today, though. She was here at our last meeting. And are there any questions, particularly about the proposed amendment? From his porter. See none. DOMBROWSKI Councilmember Dombrowski, thanks again. Thanks, Mr. Chair. And Sam, thanks very much for the report. Do you happen to know I assume we pay a cost like any other government to go on the ballot with a question? Maybe that assumption is wrong, but I'm wondering what the cost to put this forward is. I don't have that information off the top of my head. It would be going on the general election ballot. I think that there's increased costs if it's going on a special election ballot. But I can find out and get back to you. Okay. And we do so we've updated the charter a number of times. And I guess my related question is, I wonder if if there were other charter language updates that would, you know, that we would be doing, whether those could be integrated in that kind of a consolidated proposal to the voters? This one is very specific in the in the preamble, or does it have to be kind of a single subject type rule? I would need to get back to you on that. There may be a single subject issue. Okay. Thank you. Further questions. Council member Belushi. Not a question so much as a comment. Just as a reminder, although it's been briefed before the we have a legal obligation to at least take up all of the recommendations that came from the Charter Review Commission, and they put in a lot of work over a long period of time. There's a short list of recommendations of theirs that we did not put on the ballot. I just want to say that I recommended this one and the next one, because it seemed this one in particular seemed like a is the first words that you read of our Constitution for our government. And I thought that the thought that was put into it was meaningful. And although it's more of a change in tone and direction, it does make the charter a more modern and relevant document to have these words. I think it's a really good question as to whether it's going to actually cost us cash out of pocket to put this on the ballot. I don't believe it does on a November ballot, but it's well worth considering and we have the time to consider it. I don't know if this was considered to be on for action today, but I'd be happy to move it if it is on for action. And then we could, you know, sort of decide what to do at full council based on what we hear about the the cost. But just looking for your guidance here about whether you want to move it or keep it in committee today. Mr. Chair. I have this and the next charter amendment both on the agenda for possible action today, and I would entertain a motion. In that case, I would move. Approval of proposed ordinance 2020 10184 or the due pass recommendation. Councilmember Baldacci has moved to give a do pass recommendation to ordinance 2021 when 84 Councilmember Balducci. MOVE Amendment one. Councilmember Belushi's moved adoption of Amendment One. Councilmember Bell Dutchie. Amendment One has been briefed. It is that it is a fairly technical. Issue for questions on Amendment one two and we didn't get any. Now all those in favor of Amendment one please signify by saying I. I am opposed. Nay. The ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Ordinance 2021 184 as amended. Councilmember Bell. She. Yeah. I think I stated my, my rationale before making the motion, you know, with my usual deep respect for parliamentary procedure. But the I think this is a stronger preamble. I think it is accurate and states what this county is really all about in a better and more direct way. And it brings the preamble to our governing document, our baseline governing document into into modern times, if you will. And I would urge your support. Further discussion. I'm. Councilmember Caldwell's. No, no. Then, madam, quickly, please call the roll. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Council Member WG. Council Member Dombrowski. I am. Council member Dunn. I. Council Member. Congress council member member. I am council member of the group. I. Council member by night there. Councilmember Bond right there. I. I. Council members are high. I. Mr. Chair. Hi. Mr. Chair. The vote is 99 zero. Thank you. By your vote, we have given a do pass recommendation to ordinance 2020 124. And this is where I'm going to do some talking and learning out loud in the middle of committee. I mean, if we with next Tuesday, the eighth meeting canceled, if we expedite, does that mean it happens on the 15th and we put it on a regular course of business? Does it happen on the 15th? Does anybody know? I believe it would be on the 15th either way. Okay. So let's not. Confuse anybody and just put it on regular course. Perhaps, Mr. Chair. In one's regular course means it skips one regular meeting and ends up on the 22nd. Wendy can correct me if I am wrong or Jeff, but I believe my suggestion to the one that's one week. It has to be at least one week on regular action. So with the meeting getting skipped, it will still go to that for that next council meeting that's occurring. My suggestion would be to expedite just in case if that is the intent to have it on the 15th. Just so we're really clear then. Then, unless there's objection, we will expedite, which means that it will be on the June 15th Council agenda. Hearing no objection. That's what we will do. And that takes us to item six in today's agenda, proposed ordinance 2021 185 would also send a proposed charter amendment to the November ballot.