The Charter
Public meetings held to outline what it’s about
The crowd was very small at a public hearing held Thursday evening, Oct. 21, at Anderson County High School to discuss the proposed charter, which is on the Nov. 8 ballot. (photo:Pete Gwada )
Charter is one of the three forms of county government that are allowed in Tennessee. The current form of county government, which has been in effect since the county was formed in 1801, is constitutional. The third type of county government allowed in Tennessee is the metropolitan form, which is often used when a city and county combine into one government. Both charter and metropolitan governments are optional and are adopted by popular vote. However, only two counties, Knox and Shelby, have charters, while many municipalities in the state operate under a charter.
Last week, three public meetings were held in different locations to educate voters about the proposed charter system.
“We have been neutral,” Jay Yeager, the county’s law director, told the group that met Thursday evening at Anderson County High School. “It (the charter) puts more power in the hands of the people.”
He noted that term limits are not in the proposed charter. However, if the county adopts the charter system, a referendum to include term limits is possible.
In fact, one of the characteristics of the charter system is that it can be amended by referendum.
If a petition containing a number of signatures that is at least 25 percent of the total of voters who participated in the last gubernatorial election is submitted, the matter will be on the next ballot.
The county commission may also amend the charter by a two-thirds vote. There is also a mechanism voters can use to remove elected officials from office if a majority of the voters believe they have not been performing their duties.
Under the current system, the county commission can pass resolutions that require, with some exceptions, a simple majority to pass. Under the proposed charter, the county commission could also pass ordinances, which require two readings to pass.
In the proposed charter, the duties of county officials and department heads would remain the same.
The proposed charter allows the county commission to create an economic district to aid economic development in the county. Under the current system, the county commission does not have that power.