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<br />to the Court. Then you have to prove to a judge that there is reason for impeachment,
<br />and if the judge doesn't agree, then the impeachment doesn't go through. I think that's
<br />a fair process, and as I said at a previous meeting, 3% of the entire county, of the
<br />registered voters in the county, again, would be 2,100 people and Ms. Jacobson was
<br />elected by 2,300 people and Mr. Smith by 2,400 people voting for them. So, 3% is an
<br />incorrect number. I would leave it at the 100 people. If a hundred people sign a
<br />petition, then they can go, and they're really going to have to go and argue this before
<br />a judge. So, I think that's tough enough situation for an impeachment. Now, I have
<br />added in mine that all officers of the County should be impeachable. If we had this in
<br />right now, then we wouldn't have to deal with this situation with the current Police Chief.
<br />He would be an impeachable officer. Now, officers of the Police Department are not
<br />officers of the County. They are employees. However, the Police Chief is an officer of
<br />the County. So, a hundred people would be able to take that to court and get some
<br />resolution before a judge. People are pretty upset about that right now.
<br />HERKES: Excuse me just a minute.
<br />PRANKE: Yes ma'am.
<br />HERKES: Mr. Ray, I think that probably is something that should go to our
<br />attorney, to ask whether that's legal to impeach an appointed person.
<br />PRANKE: Not recall. I don't think you could recall a non -
<br />HERKES: I understand. I just want the attorney to make a decision.
<br />PRANKE: Yes, I understand. I don't think you could recall a non -elected
<br />official, but an appointed official, as you said before, their rules and regulations have
<br />the force and effect of law. They're almost lawmakers. Officers of the County are
<br />lawmakers, in a sense, and they should be accountable. At the current position, the
<br />only thing that you could say was if somebody appointed to a Board or Commission,
<br />and as I've showed, the Mayor doesn't appoint them and the Council doesn't appoint
<br />them, it's a joint process; you'd have to say if somebody is grossly negligent in a
<br />position, could you impeach the Mayor for nominating them, or could you impeach the
<br />Council. And that's obviously, kind of, absurd. So, I think they should be impeachable.
<br />Okay, I'm sorry. Mr. Martin.
<br />MARTIN: Yes, I had a comment on to what you were saying about
<br />specifically the Police Chief. And not to say that the system isn't working, but in place
<br />is a Commission that can, and is more than possible to, remove a sitting chief. So,
<br />agree with you that there may be times that other appointees, somewhat, should be
<br />accountable to the people, and not so much to the Mayor and/or Council, and I agree
<br />with you. But at present, the chief could have been removed at any time by the
<br />Commission.
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