Home rule charter is the opportunity and authority for citizens to redesign their county government to better meet their needs. On Nov. 4, I will be voting “yes” to approve the home rule charter for Clark County and the positive changes it will bring.
I spent 28 years working for the county, including time working in the commissioners’ office. I have observed 12 different county commissioners and nine different boards. This first-hand experience has led me to the following conclusion: Good people can make a bad system work, and people with misguided intentions can make a good system go bad.
I have witnessed many achievements under the commissioner form of governance, including building badly needed roads and parks. However, I have also watched commissioners take actions that skirt county policies and call into question the purpose and wisdom of their decisions.
For me, deciding whether to support or oppose the proposed county charter comes with the answer to this question: Which system — the status quo or the proposed charter — offers the greatest opportunity for success while providing the greatest structural protections against misuse. The answer is the home rule charter proposed for Clark County.
