There has been a lot of discussion in our community lately on proposed amendments to our county charter, which are on the ballot in the upcoming election.

Many opponents of these amendments have written lengthy letters explaining why they should not be approved. At first glance, the whole thing looks very complicated, perhaps even beyond the grasp of the average citizen who does not have a lot of time to spend following local government. Which way should we vote on this important issue?

In my opinion, it’s not complicated. Two facts stand out to me.

One, the Charter Review Commission that created these amendments was a very diverse group. The commissioners came from all over the county and represented many political viewpoints. They spent countless hours interviewing people with direct experience in local government, defining and researching the issues, and working out improvements to our charter.

The vast majority of these commissioners voted in favor of putting these amendments before us, the voters. To me, this is a remarkable effort should not be ignored.

Two, our local Republican and Democratic parties have both endorsed the charter amendments. If this isn’t bi-partisan agreement, I don’t know what is.

Please join me in voting “Yes” on charter amendments 1, 2, and 3.

David Meiland, San Juan Island