Is Lane County working for you?

EUGENE: A committee comprised of seven Lane County residents is now in the process of gathering comments that could lead to changes in some of the ways the regional government operates.

The county is governed by a Home Rule Charter (HRC) that establishes how the local county government operates. It can only be changed by a countywide vote. Every 10 years, a committee of residents is appointed to review the Lane County Charter and suggest changes to the Board of County Commissioners.

This year, the committee reviewing the charter has created a survey for people to share their thoughts. Topics include the existing commissioner districts, local campaign finance limits, and more, as well as opportunities for open-ended suggestions.

HRC amendments approved in the past included reducing county commissioner terms from six years to four (in 1972), requiring a review of commissioner district boundaries every 10 years (in 1982), and a change in 2010 to create more flexibility in the ways the county provides services across departments.

In 1958 the Oregon Constitution was amended to give voters the right to adopt charters prescribing how their county governments should be organized, what powers they should have, and what procedure they should follow in administering county affairs. The Home Rule Charter for Lane County was approved by voters four years later (in 1962).

The CRC meets monthly on the fourth Friday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Board of County Commissioners’ Conference Room unless noted otherwise. Additional meetings will be held as needed on the second Thursday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information and a link to the survey, go to: tinyurl.com/y3exy2d9.