Jackson County committee holds ordinance that would require officials to reimburse special-election costs

The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Ordinance 5997, a proposal to require elected officials to reimburse special-election costs if a court determines there was an improper denial of voter-certified recall efforts.

A committee member said the ordinance language was drafted in opposition to the general counsel’s office and asked staff to clarify legal authority for what the draft calls "financial accountability." A staff speaker responding to the question said he could not identify where the county legislature would have authority to add a requirement for reimbursement tied to a court order. "I couldn't figure out where the authority of the legislator would be to add a, like you said, retribution, whatever, to a court order," the staff speaker said.

Committee members proposed seeking a written opinion from the counselor's office and possibly outside counsel on what the county could lawfully require. The committee then moved and seconded to hold the ordinance pending legal review; members voted in the affirmative and no opposition was recorded on the committee floor.

The committee did not adopt the ordinance, amend its language, or set a timeline for the outside opinion during the meeting; it instead directed that additional legal analysis be obtained before the item returns to committee.