The charter's central grant is open-ended. It gives Morgan County the broadest powers of self-government available "now and in the future," and any power the law later allows a home rule county arrives without a charter amendment, and so without a vote of the county's electors. It places all legislative power in three commissioners and directs that any doubt about its meaning be resolved in favor of the broader power.
Under this charter, the Board holds every power necessary or convenient for county affairs unless the charter says otherwise. The same document turns an elected office into an appointment. A charter built on the widest reading of county power grows government by design, and I oppose it.
I recommend a no vote on Morgan County Question 1A.
Shall the proposed Morgan County Home Rule Charter be adopted?
Morgan County adopts the proposed home rule charter, effective January 1, 2027.
Morgan County remains a statutory county under state law.
Morgan County is a statutory county today, limited to the powers state law grants it. Question 1A reads in full: "Shall the proposed Morgan County Home Rule Charter be adopted?" A yes vote adopts the charter, effective January 1, 2027. A no vote keeps Morgan County a statutory county.
Voters elected a charter commission at a special election on March 10, 2026, and the county commissioners referred its charter to the November 3 ballot in Resolution BCC 38.
The charter keeps a three-member Board of County Commissioners, elected at large, each member living in one of three districts. The clerk, sheriff, coroner, treasurer and assessor stay elected.
The charter grants the county "the broadest possible powers of local self‐government now and in the future, except as limited by this Charter," and lets it exercise any power authorized for home rule counties "without needing to amend this Charter." Except where the charter limits it, the Board holds every power "necessary or convenient" for county affairs, and the charter directs that any question about its meaning be resolved toward the broadest home rule powers available.
All legislative power rests with the three commissioners, who legislate by ordinance. The charter declares land use, zoning and agricultural preservation in unincorporated areas matters of local concern, and lets the Board adopt permitting procedures that differ from state law.
The charter abolishes the elected county surveyor on January 1, 2027, and has the Board appoint a licensed surveyor; a surveyor elected on November 3 would not take office.
The charter preserves TABOR's minimum requirements as they stand when it takes effect, except those previously waived by Morgan County voters. If Colorado voters repeal TABOR, the charter retains a vote requirement for new taxes, rate increases, mills above the prior year's levy, extensions of expiring taxes and tax policy changes that directly increase net revenue, subject to prior voter approvals and charter exemptions. A vote is also required for multiple-year debt or other financial obligations without adequate cash reserves irrevocably pledged for all future payments. Refinancing county bonds at a lower interest rate and adding employees to existing pension plans are excepted. County enterprises may issue their own revenue bonds. Every elected county officer must follow the state's ethics rules, including Article XXIX of the Colorado Constitution, and the Board cannot exempt them from that article.
County voters gain the powers of initiative and referendum, which the commission's comparison says voters in statutory counties lack. Initiatives cannot reach land use applications, budgets, annual appropriations or tax levies, and referendums cannot reach those, borrowing or several others. The charter changes only by a vote of the electors, on a petition signed by at least 5% of registered electors or a Board resolution. Without a vote, the Board may make only non-substantive revisions.