Along with candidates and incorporations on the ballot in November, Tooele County voters will also decide if they want to formally examine county governance.
A group of local citizens collected enough signatures on a petition to place the question of studying Tooele County government on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot.
Petition supporters needed to collect 1,939 signatures. They turned in 2,334 signatures, of which 2,075 were found to be valid local voters, according to Tooele County Clerk/Auditor Marilyn Gillette.
The Tooele County commissioners certified the petition at their business meeting Tuesday night.
The ballot measure only calls for a study to be completed. The findings of the study, and any recommended changes, will be presented to voters later, according to Erik Gumbrecht, a petition sponsor who lives in Tooele City.
“We absolutely need to study it [Tooele County government],” he said. “Tooele County has grown a lot in the last 20 years, and it makes sense to ensure that the structure we have is the most fitting for the next 20-plus years.”
Collecting enough signatures wasn’t hard, according to Gumbrecht.
“People are excited to have the opportunity to voice what their government may look like in the future,” he said. “They are excited about the prospect of looking at alternative ways that performance can improve.”
As per state code, the county’s current three-member commission, which holds both legislative and executive powers, is the default form of county government unless the statutory process is followed to adopt a state legislative-approved optional form of government.
The approved optional forms of government for counties in Utah are: an expanded county commission with five to seven commissioners with the commissioners retaining both legislative and executive powers; a county council with legislative authority and an appointed county manager with executive authority; or a county council with legislative authority and an elected mayor with executive authority.
The first step in the process to adopt an optional form of county government is to conduct a formal study, according to state code.
The code provides two ways to initiate that study: Either the county commissioners can pass a resolution to place the issue on an election ballot, or a petition signed by 10 percent of the county’s registered voters may be used instead.
The county must provide suitable meeting facilities for the study committee, necessary secretarial services, necessary printing and photocopying services, necessary clerical and staff assistance; and adequate funds for the employment of independent legal counsel and professional consultants that the study committee reasonably determines to be necessary to help the study committee fulfill its duties, according to state code.
If the ballot measure passes, an ad hoc committee is required to meet no more than 10 days after the election to appoint a group of citizens to the study committee.
The ad hoc appointment committee consists of five members: one county resident designated by a majority of all state legislators that represent any part of the county, one county resident appointed by the county commission and one resident appointed by the petition sponsors. These three members select the other two members of the ad hoc committee.
The ad hoc committee appoints the study committee.
The study committee consists of seven to 11 members. Each member must be a registered voter in the county, but not a public office holder or a public employee. The committee, according to state code, should “broadly represent the county.”
Gumbrecht believes the study committee could do its job at minimal expense.
“This study is uniquely inexpensive,” Gumbrecht said. “And it performs the task of one of the most important things I can possibly think of: seeing if we can do better.”
Specifically, Utah Code states the study will determine whether the administration of local government in the county could be strengthened, made more clearly responsive or accountable to the people, or significantly improved in the interest of economy and efficiency by a change in the form of county government, according to Gumbrecht.
All study committee meetings are to be open to the public. In the course of completing the study, the committee may hold public hearings.
If the committee recommends changing the form of government, it will prepare a detailed plan for an optional government that complies with state code. The committee has one year to file a written report.
After the committee study is complete, the county attorney has 45 days to review the plan for the optional form of government and determine if it is consistent with statutory and constitutional requirements. The study committee may revise its plan to comply with statutory and constitutional requirements.
With the completed study in hand, the county commission may, by resolution, put the optional form of government on the ballot for a vote, or another petition of 10 percent of the county’s registered voters may be used to place the optional form of government on the ballot.
If the majority of voters approve the optional government, county officers, as detailed in the optional plan, are elected at the first general election following the approval of the plan.
Gumbrecht said the request for a study does not imply dissatisfaction with the present county commissioners; rather, it is a request to look at all options available for county governance.
Gumbrecht said he has no preconceived notion that the form of government needs to be changed or what form would be preferable.
“I have a pretty good handle on pros and cons of the various formats,” he said. “But I look forward to joining in with the rest of the citizens giving input and weighing them out. The dialogue and information will help everyone weigh things out and make an informed decision.”
Along with Gumbrecht, the other petition sponsors are Tracy Shaw, Tooele City; Jeff McNeil, Erda; Elliot Lawrence, Grantsville; and Matt McCarty, South Rim.
More information on the county government study process can be found on the petition sponsors’ Facebook page, “Study Form of Government in Tooele County.”
Key questions petition sponsors want committee to consider
If voters approve the county government study, below are some of the questions Erik Gumbrecht, petition sponsor, wants the study committee to consider:
• Would it benefit Tooele County to separate legislative and executive powers?
• Would the alternatives speed up or slow down decision making? Would having more or less people involved in those decisions make them more sound?
• Would alternative forms help citizens be better represented or enhance the ability of the county to be more responsive and available to the citizenry?
• Is the current system or an alternative system the best to sustain the county economically for future growth?
• How much would each system cost citizens to operate, and would it be worth the investment?
• Would having part- or full-time variations in county leadership allow for a wider range of candidates to choose from?
• With potential changes such as Stansbury Park becoming a city, what ways could the current system or another benefit the operation of the county?