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legal problems, or it's not something they cannot do; but it seems to me the final language of <br />the petition should go with the petitioner's committee rather than the county clerk. So, I <br />wouldn't mind adding something that it would then be given to the corporation counsel to <br />ensure that it's within the legal authority or it's somehow to amend the charter that way. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: I think the way it's written the committee has the last say as to what <br />is included, and the clerk only can propose language; but that language is not binding <br />upon the committee. The same would go for the corporation counsel. I guess we could, <br />instead, put the corporation counsel on the back end maybe, as to review and approve as <br />to form, or render some kind of opinion as to whether or not it complies with the law. <br />MS. HECHT: Can I make a comment? <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: In just a minute. <br />KENNETH GOODENOW <br />(At this time Ken Goodenow, County Clerk, came forward to address members of the Charter <br />Commission.) <br />MR. GOODENOW: Ken Goodenow, County Clerk. I appreciate what Ms. Jarman said. <br />The point is to have the petitioner's committee, as I understand it, be the final say. But, I <br />do note, that subsequently, in Section 15- 5(c)(2), it says, "For purposes of certification, <br />any petition shall be found insufficient that: (2) Proposes an amendment or revision not <br />subject to the powers of this article." The clerk determines the sufficiency, so even <br />thought in the other section it says it is up to the petitioner's committee; here in this part <br />it seems that it would be the clerk. So, I just wanted to point that out. Of course, we <br />have no objection to corporation counsel, and not the clerk, determining anything when it <br />comes to this chapter. Thank you. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Ms. Hecht, you had a comment? <br />MS. HECHT: Thank you, I did. The way the process works in 15 -4, is that the <br />petitioners give the information to the clerk, the clerk has time to come back with any <br />revisions or corrections, and it was assumed at that time, since the corporation counsel is <br />representing employees of the county, that the clerk, if he or she had questions would go <br />over and talk to corporation counsel and then come back to the petitioner's committee <br />with any amended language. We had exactly that problem in the 2 %, and that's exactly <br />why we wrote it like that; so the committee would have the last word, so it would go on <br />the ballot as they liked, not as the county wrote it which was the case with the 2 %. So it <br />is part of the process; we thought it was built in. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Alright, thank you. I think the proposed suggestion would just make <br />it clearer that the corporation counsel has the ability to give some input into the proposed <br />language on the front end. We are going to get to the other section brought up by the <br />county clerk afterwards, because it kind of relates to this. So the suggestion is to add in, <br />"or corporation counsel" after the clerk in Section 15 -4(f). Do I have a motion? <br />•a <br />