Home Rule

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Chambersburg Borough Council Tuesday night heard a presentation about what it would take to change to a home-rule form of government. "I think all communities need to pause from time to time and consider the direction in which they are heading," said Fred Reddig, the deputy director of the Governor's Center for Local Government Services and the former borough manager of Shippensburg, Pa. Reddig outlined what the borough would need to do to change to a home-rule form of government, something 71 municipalities have done since the state constitution was amended to allow such changes in 1972.

On the primary election ballot this February, the voters of Washington County will have an important choice to make about the future of how we as citizens interact with our county government. The passage of charter home rule consolidates tremendous power in the hands of a new county council that will have unchecked authority to intrude into our lives, grow government and raise taxes. Advocates of home rule haven't made the case for change. Some have suggested that Washington County's elected officials are not currently in charge of the county's destiny.

WASHINGTON COUNTY A task force recommended Tuesday that Washington County's government change to charter home rule, a system that would give the County Commissioners more authority to create local laws. Joseph Kroboth III, chairman of the Task Force on Home Rule, said the nine-member group voted 5-4 in favor of charter home rule. Four members supported a change to code home rule, which also would give the commissioners more power than they have under the current commission form of government.

A board has suggested that Washington County switch from a commissioner form of government to a charter home rule form. Some highlights of the draft charter: · A county council would have five members at first, then seven members starting in 2010. Five would run in districts and two would run at large. · The first council would be the five sitting county commissioners. · Council members would serve four-year terms. · The council "may enact public local laws for the peace, good government, health, safety or welfare of the County.

By GUY FLETCHER Staff Writer ANNAPOLIS - The relationship between the Washington County Commissioners and the county's delegation in the Maryland General Assembly has had several difficult moments in the past few years. In 1995 Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington, amended a bill that required the commissioners to spend $250,000 on the Fairplay Volunteer Fire Department. Last year the delegation amended a tip jar gambling bill so the commissioners could not cut their spending to nonprofit organizations.

Underwood supports home rule By DAVE McMILLION / Staff Writer, Charles Town MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - If reelected, Gov. Cecil Underwood said during a question and answer session here Tuesday night that he would support home rule legislation to help areas like the Eastern Panhandle deal with growth. But Underwood cautioned that if local officials "get out of line" with taxes, they will likely pay the price at election time. County officials, especially those in Jefferson County, have been stressing the need for more home rule to deal with population growth.

tarar@herald-mail.com The League of Women Voters of Washington County on Tuesday asked the Washington County Commissioners to support a referendum on changing the county's commission form of government to a type of home rule. The change to code home rule would lessen the local government's dependency on the Maryland General Assembly and give the commissioners more power to enact local laws, officials said. John J. Porter, League president, said home rule would speed up the adoption process of local laws.

tarar@herald-mail.com The Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously shot down a proposal to change the county's form of government from commission to a type of home rule. The proposal was made by a task force created by the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters of Washington County and the Greater Hagerstown Committee. The task force held meetings last year. Members of the task force told the commissioners last month that switching to code home rule would bring local government closer to the people and lessen the commissioners' dependence on the Maryland General Assembly.

If you go What: Home rule charter debate When: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Where: Hagerstown Community College's Kepler Theater More: The public is invited to attend the debate on Washington County's proposed home rule charter, which will be voted on in the Feb. 12 primary election. Those participating in the debate in favor of the proposed charter will be Jeanne Singer, who served as chairwoman of the charter board for Washington County; Washington County Commissioner James F. Kercheval; and Brien Poffenberger, president of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

The pros and cons of Washington County's proposed home rule charter will be debated Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Hagerstown Community College's Kepler Theater. The public is invited to attend the debate on Washington County's proposed home rule charter, which will be voted on in the Feb. 12 primary election. Those participating in the debate in favor of the proposed charter will be Jeanne Singer, who served as chairwoman of the charter board for Washington County; James F. Kercheval, a Washington County Commissioner; and Brien Poffenberger, president of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

Washington County needs an executive To the editor: The government of the United States has an executive who we call president; the State of Maryland has an executive who we call governor; the City of Hagerstown has an executive who we call mayor; but Washington County has no executive. Why? There was a reason that the Constitution of the United States created three branches of government. The founders of our nation recognized the need to have a legislature that would debate and pass laws as well as a court system to interpret those laws fairly and to make sure that the laws that were passed were congruent with the Constitution.

Martinsburg City Council, which met Monday as a committee of the whole, recommended that City Manager Mark Baldwin be authorized to begin the process to apply to become a “home rule” city in West Virginia. Mayor George Karos and city council members received an explanation from City Attorney Floyd M. “Kin” Sayre III about the State Legislature's recent expansion of the home rule pilot program, which now will allow 16 more cities to apply to join four others already participating in the initiative.

BUNKER HILL, W.Va. -- A Sunday morning fire that destroyed a rancher in the Bunker Hill Heights subdivision has been ruled accidental, Patrick Barker, assistant state fire marshal, said Wednesday. The cause of the fire at 311 Quarter Drive remained undetermined, but most likely was electrical, Barker said. The family did not have insurance for the home, he said. No one was hurt in the fire, which was reported at 3:24 a.m. Sunday, fire officials have said. -- Julie E. Greene

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- A ballot question on charter home rule in Washington County failed earlier this year in part due to truth-twisting by the opposition and voters' lack of trust in county government, according to a report released this week by a charter home rule advocacy group. The eight-page report, compiled by Friends of Charter Home Rule, outlines the group's efforts during the charter campaign and speculates on why voters rejected the charter during the February primary election.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The deaths of two men found in a Park Street home Friday have been ruled accidental, concluding an investigation by local police and the Franklin County (Pa.) Coroner's Office. Investigators believe that Stuart A. DeWease Jr., 49, forgot to turn off his vehicle when he arrived home from work early Friday, Coroner Jeffrey R. Conner said in a news release issued Wednesday. DeWease and Keith Rohrer, 22, were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning that afternoon.

More in gardening and farmers' markets. people are trying to increase the number of fruit and vegetable servings for health and to trim food costs. And cable TV food shows are stimulating interest in cooking. So home cooking and food preservation are on the rise. Preserving food at home is not difficult; however, it is important to follow some key rules for preserving food by canning and freezing: o Choose fresh fruits and vegetables free of dents, bruises, insect damage and mold.

"Please do not vote for Condoleezza Rice as vice president. She is a clone of George W. Bush. " So that's why they look so much alike. "Since O'Malley took all our money, there ain't been nothing to do but sit around and count the hairs on a hog's back. I guess if home rule gets voted in, they will make a rule against that. " - Pondsville Of course there should be a rule against counting the hairs on a hog's back; it has to tickle, wouldn't you think? "In my opinion, any attempts to bring business to the downtown area would be comparable to 'putting lipstick on a pig'.