This is a summary. The full committee record for this model, including research findings, design questions, and charter implications, is in the Guide to Governance Options.
What this pathway is
GA 2.0 keeps the General Assembly as Ophir's governing body while addressing known gaps in how it operates. It is not a single fixed proposal but a set of reforms the community could adopt in whole or in part. Some reforms require only a GA vote; others require a charter amendment and electorate approval. The GA retains full authority throughout.
Procedural reforms: how the GA operates
These reforms address meeting mechanics and participation without altering who holds authority. Most can be implemented by ordinance. Examples the committee explored:
- Adopting a recognized parliamentary procedure
- Per-agenda-item comment and time limits
- A consent agenda for routine items
- A written comment option for residents who cannot attend
- Post-meeting plain-language summaries
Structural reforms: how authority is allocated
These reforms address the distribution of authority and typically require charter amendment. Examples the committee explored:
- Raising and redefining the quorum
- Increasing the $5,000 contract threshold
- Formalizing the Town Manager's role and authority
- Establishing remote participation rights
- Differentiated voting thresholds by decision type
- Creating between-meeting coordinating authority with defined limits
Annual portfolio review
A complementary structural idea is an annual GA re-centering session organized around Ophir's actual governance domains: water, trash and snow removal, land use and planning (including the avalanche hazard overlay), external relations with USFS and San Miguel County, open space and green energy, wildfire mitigation, and legal matters. Staff domain reports and an electorate-wide survey would feed a documented priority map distinguishing must-address items, active ongoing work, and consciously deferred matters.
What stays open for the community
Which reforms to pursue, and in what combination, is a community decision.