Make your voice heard on changing our government

To change to charter government requires that a complicated and all-encompassing document be written, for which the state sets an 18-month preparation period. Some of the educational forum organizers want the document to be finished in time to place it on the Nov. 4 election ballot.

That date they believe is crucial, based on past experience, since a larger number of Frederick County residents would be casting votes. They believe a larger number of voters give charter a better chance of passage. Perhaps so, but if the issue itself can't bring out voters, it says something about the issue.

Frederick County could not begin its process until sometime after the April 30 meeting.

There is the need to procure 6,333 signatures on petitions and create a charter board. If the appointees are challenged by petition, a special election would be required.

At least one organizer has suggested using the charter written (but defeated) in 1991. In that manner, Frederick County would not have to start from scratch. That 34-page document has vitality, it is said, entirely appropriate for today, at least as a starting point.

An example of how complicated a charter is, Howard County's has 12 articles and 119 subsections.

Yet that is supposing charter government is the beginning point. If I understand the purpose of the upcoming educational forum, it is for organizers to come to the meeting with an open mind and based on what they hear from the public will determine whether they start a petition drive to create charter or code home rule or forget the whole matter.

Since organizers agree voters ultimately decide the issue, the public should be included at every step with every opportunity to be heard. But recycling a document for which voters have already expressed their opinion, albeit it 16 years ago and probably needs modernizing, seems to be a step backward, instead of a step forward. That is the sort of thing which turns off public participation.

Organizers of the educational forum must guard against the public thinking the cards are stacked, a waste of valuable time. Allowing public participation every step of the way, means not only listening, but heeding public comments.

Many years ago, before Montgomery County began the charter process, it had a 740-page independent study done on the organization of its government and reorganized accordingly.

Then it changed its form of government. It was felt that all the parts and pieces of county government should be examined in order to create a truly effective one. It took three years.

Various members of organizations sponsoring the educational forum have already indicated a preference for home rule, especially charter. Some have been involved in past attempts to change Frederick County's government. Those attempts occurred and failed in 1968, 1970, 1983, 1991 and 2002. They believe that home rule, especially charter, is superior to the present commissioner form and if they keep the issue alive, at some point they will succeed.

So the challenge of the educational forum is to have a full and open discussion, allowing all points of view to be heard. After all, taxpayer money will be spent during any lengthy process to change the form of Frederick County government and implement it.

It is imperative your voice is heard on April 30.

Paul Gordon is a local historian, and was mayor of Frederick city from January 1990 to January 1994. His column appears weekly. You can reach him at prg202@comcast.net. To send a letter to the editor in response to this column, e-mail frederick@gazette.net.