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Millions were glued to their televisions the past couple weeks, tuned into the Kavanaugh confirmation drama.

But perhaps a more representative example of American democracy took place before a dozen people at the Dewey Beach Community Hall Thursday night.

That’s when members of Home Rule Skagit, including greater La Conner resident Rick Shorten, and Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen outlined respective arguments related to Proposition 1 – the bid to establish a charter form of government in Skagit County.

In truth, there was little arguing.

Despite the stakes involved, the Dewey forum was always respectful, rarely contentious, and marked by occasional humor.

The latter occurred after Shorten related a past episode under the commission system when he said a countywide rezone was approved to accommodate a single agricultural-industrial operation near La Conner.

“That was before I was elected,” Wesen was quick to note, as the room began to fill with laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Shorten said good-naturedly, “I should have mentioned that.”

Much of the 90-minute session reflected a serious, informational tone.

Shorten, Gary Wickman and Christie Stewart Stein took turns making the case for charter rule. Wesen stressed merits of the present three-member Commission format.

The Home Rule Skagit reps described the charter campaign as a several-tiered process. It depends on a yes vote for “freeholders” on the Nov. 6 ballot, followed by election of seven such freeholders in each of the three commissioner districts.

Those 21 freeholders over the course of a year would then draft a charter, or constitution, for Skagit County. That charter would go before voters in Nov. 2019.

If approved, the charter would pave the way for establishment of a county executive-county council system, similar to what’s in place in seven other counties in Washington state.

“This isn’t a criticism of anybody serving as a commissioner at this time,” Stewart Stein stressed.

Wickman said the charter option is instead meant to meet the needs of a county whose population has doubled to 127,000 over the past 40 years.

“Each commissioner now represents about 40,000 people in a large geographic area,” said Wickman, who added that a five to nine-member Council would allow the part-time panel members to serve smaller sectors.

“We’re a large county geographically,” Wickman said, “that goes from the mountains to the sea and everything in between.”

A county executive would serve as another branch of local government, providing a separation of powers from the council, said Wickman.

“I really think that’s a big deal,” Wickman said.

He said members of a county council could also be appointed to subcommittees assigned specific areas of expertise to thoroughly study proposals before they become action items. Wickman said under the present system, county commissioners blend executive and legislative duties and can’t meet outside formal meetings.

Wesen countered that full-time commissioners devote all their working hours to county business and that a three-member commission can reach consensus decisions more easily than does a larger council.

“If someone is serving part-time,” he said, “they’ve also got families and jobs. Will they have the time to do the research to understand all the issues? There’s so much information we have to deal with when you also consider the various state and federal mandates.

“I want somebody to represent me full-time and understand the issues,” Wesen added.

Wickman said Proposition 1 is structured so that any change is gradual rather than immediate.

“The freeholder process, from my point of view,” Wickman said, “is a learning thing at the beginning. At the end of the process we can say no and stay with the status quo.”

Wesen said the status quo and change aren’t mutually exclusive under a county commissioner system.

“One thing I think is unique by having three county commissioners,” he explained, “is if you want change you can file for election against an incumbent and run for office. That’s change that can alter things significantly.”

Some election cycles have seen commission incumbents run unopposed.

Wesen said the three-member county commission is a “nimble” entity, one that can prevent measures from being bogged down unnecessarily.

“With three commissioners,” he said, “you only need two to make something go forward.”

Forum moderator Howard Gulley seized on that point in addressing Wickman and Stewart Stein.

“There’s the saying that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” he said. “So, what’s broke?”

Wickman’s response was there aren’t enough legislators at present to represent the entire county.

“There are only three (commissioners),” he said, “and two can make all the decisions. With three, you can have two drive the agenda.”

Wesen didn’t see it that way.

“I think the system is working well,” he said, “and I don’t think we’re at the point where we need to make a change.”

In the end, while there were disagreements, no one was disagreeable.