By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch As happens every 10 years, Pierce County citizens are about to be given the job of deciding if their county's form of government works for them. Twenty-one members of a Charter Review Commission will be chosen in voting that begins when voters countywide receive their general-election ballots in the mail later this week from the county elections department. The winners GÇô three from each of the seven County Council districts GÇô will spend six months studying and discussing the home-rule charter, the framework for county government. If they think changes are in order, they can send amendments to voters for the 2016 election. Similar to a federal or state constitution, a county charter defines the rights, liabilities and responsibilities of government. The charter that Pierce County adopted in 1981 carries a mandatory review every 10 years by a commission that's elected each time the process rolls around again. To represent them on the commission this time, voters in council District 3 in south Pierce County are choosing among six candidates who have varying experience with government as activists, employees, elected or appointed officials, and candidates for other offices. " Jason Bergstrom, Amy Cruver Bergstrom has been a candidate for state representative and is a self-described "constitutional conservativeGÇ¥ who contends the county has a burdensome regulations. He promises a balanced review and wants to retain term limits for council members, who currently are allowed two four-year terms. Cruver is an assistant to one of those council members, Jim McCune. She supports limited government, self-governing principles, individual property rights, reducing regulatory "burdens,GÇ¥ and private-sector economic development. " Bruce Lachney, Richard Thurston Lachney has been an Eatonville School Board member, a member of the county Planning Commission and a candidate for County Council and the Legislature. He applauds the charter review as a democratic approach to recommending "ideas for better government.GÇ¥ Thurston has served on the Planning Commission and other county advisory boards, has lived in the county for 47 years, and says he has both "strong opinionsGÇ¥ on some subjects and the ability to work with people who have different views. " Greg Hartman, Kerry Hooks Hartman is a past candidate for state representative and has served on the county's Firearms Advisory Commission. He wants the charter to respect personal and property rights and help ensure transparency of government officials. Hooks is a leader of a citizen-sponsored referendum in the general election to block the county's construction of an office building in Tacoma to house county departments. She has served with the county's Frederickson Land-Use Advisory Commission, and she advocates a citizen-led government. Ballots will be mailed Oct. 15 by the county to voters, who will have until Nov. 3 to mail them back or deposit them in official dropboxes.
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