The county mayor question remains bizarrely muddled.
Recently terminated County Administrator Pat Bean’s tortuous relationship with the seven-headed dysfunctional body that is the County Commission had seemed an ongoing infomercial for the need for such an accountable chief executive. But first it has to get on the ballot. (A previous effort was nullified by a single-subject technicality.)
Right now the group campaigning — and signature gathering — in behalf of an elected county mayor is under-funded and under-signatured and seemingly overwhelmed. It’s looking increasingly like a long shot. Which is too bad. Not unlike the mass transit referendum, this is too important a decision to not expedite to the voters for the ultimate call.
But there is, as we know by now, another way to get it on the ballot so voters can weigh in. The county’s Charter Review Board could obviate the need for signature collection by just, well, putting it directly on the ballot itself. But the 14-member board, one that is not so coincidentally appointed by county commissioners, is not about to.
As for the voters? They can weigh in on light rail. That’s enough direct democracy for now.