Description of Intent:
The charter preamble states the purpose and intent of the charter: why do the citizens of Nevada County want a charter and what is it expected to accomplish? It further establishes what the Charter does and the County’s rights under the Charter.
Proposed Charter Text:
We, the sovereign people of Nevada County, do hereby ordain and establish for its government this Charter, to assert and secure the benefits of home rule and governance by our own citizens and to improve efficiency and provide for a responsive, responsible, cooperative and empowered county government.
The people of Nevada County possess an inherent and inalienable right to govern their own county for their own health, safety, and welfare and the for stewardship of the County’s resources and commons. Nevada County is to play its role of interposition under the guiding principles of, in this order; the protection of the rights of self (privacy and health), the right to stewardship of our properties, commons, and natural resources, protecting our local economy.
Silence in the Charter on a given subject does not relegate the county from defining other inalienable rights in the future.
Name and Rights of the County:
The County of Nevada, State of California, is a body corporate and politic, and as such has all the powers specified by the Constitution and laws of the State of California, and by this Charter, and by such other powers as are necessarily implied.
The powers mentioned in the preceding section can be exercised only by a Board of Supervisors, or by agents and officers acting under their authority or by authority of law or authority of this Charter.
The corporate name shall be “County of Nevada,” which must be thus designated in all actions and proceedings touching its corporate rights, properties and duties. Its boundaries and county seat shall remain the same as they now are until otherwise changed by law.
This charter does not abridge or modify the rights of citizens to propose initiatives and referenda (including amendments to this charter) as provided for in the general laws of the State of California.
Except as expressly set forth in this charter, the general law set forth in the Constitution of the State of California and the laws of the State of California shall govern the operations of the County of Nevada.
Ordinances of the County of Nevada adopted by the voters prior to the enactment of this charter shall remain in full force and effect and may only be modified or repealed by a vote of the people.
Links to all Charter pages:
Nevada County Charter – Introduction
How to establish a Nevada County Charter
Preamble to the Nevada County Charter
Preamble to Charter section establishing a public bank for Nevada County
The mission of the public Bank of Nevada County
The governance of the public Bank of Nevada County
The Citizens Bill of Rights
Nevada County Officers & Governance
Use of Instant Runoff Voting and establishing campaign finance limits
“Buy Local” preference for Nevada County purchases & contracts section
PDF of the full Nevada County Charter
Click here to be taken to the Nevada County Charter online survey page.