Los Banos Rotary Club History
Robinson Explains Charter Plank

Don Robinson, Merced district rancher and acting chairman of the Merced County Better Government group, explained features of the proposed charter plan of county government at the Rotary Club luncheon Tuesday noon. He briefly explained the history of the movement, cited specific advantages of such a plan, the legal procedure necessary for its enactment, and then opened the meeting to a forum discussion, answering questions as they were submitted by Rotary members.

Robinson said the Better County Government group was organized several months ago by persons interested in county government who felt that certain advantages could be attained by changing from the present general type of government to the charter plan. The suggested change, he said, was prompted by the accepted success of the Merced city charter plan of government which was instituted last year.

Robinson said that at a meeting of the Better Government group in Merced attended by representatives of every community in the county, it was decided to circulate a petition requesting that the proposal be submitted to the people at an election, but that the members of the board of supervisors had eliminated necessity for the preparation of such petition by authorizing the proposal submitted in connection with the coming general primary election on Tuesday, June 6.

The BCG group nominated a slate of 15 candidates to be elected as "freeholders," at the primary election, who will be unopposed as there are no other declared candidates. The board of freeholders will serve without pay for a period of 120 days, during which time they must prepare and present to the voters a charter or constitution of county government.

Robinson emphasized that the BCG group made every effort to have every community represented on the board of freeholders. There are two nominees from the Los Banos area, R. Lindemann and O. R. Zentner.
Robinson also emphasized that at the coming election the people will vote solely to elect the board of freeholders. The proposition of whether or not the charter plan shall be substituted for the present form of county government will not be submitted to vote until the general election in November.

There are many forms and variations of the charter form of government, he pointed out, and freeholders will incorporate into the proposed Merced county plan. Robinson pointed out that the freeholders will hold a series of meetings and public forums in the county which the people will be invited to attend and express their opinions as to the various features as they are presented for consideration.

Robinson said he was interested in the charter plan primarily because as a rancher and substantial taxpayer he was interested in the most businesslike and efficient administration possible in government, and believed the charter plan offered an improvement over the present system. He discounted the possibility of an actual tax reduction but declared he believed the taxpayers would receive more and better service for their tax dollars under the proposed plan. He declared that much of our county government has become obsolete and that it should be streamlined to today's efficiency standards.

In the course of the question and answer period, George Nickel Jr. expressed his opinion that in anticipation of the increased public interest in county government occasioned by the presentation of the proposed change, that the county superior court could well appoint the 1950 grand jury earlier in the year than has been done in past years, so that the jury's studies and recommendations could be publicized in the light of the charter presentation. Robinson stated he had received the same suggestion from numerous people throughout the county and that he personally considered such move timely and wise.

May 22, 1950

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