Charter amendments on March 9 ballot deciphered

As a member of the Charter Review Committee it seems appropriate to offer insight into the reasons behind the recommended changes to the charter. The City Commission approved all of the Charter Review Committee’s recommendations.

Amendment 1 - Add a Preamble to the Charter

Voter approval of this amendment will provide the city charter with more character and vision.

Amendment 2 - Remove the City Boundary List

There is no legal requirement to include city boundaries in a city charter. The boundary listing is the first 56 pages of the 71 page charter document. Readable charter language is only 15 pages long. Voter approval of this recommendation will not affect the process of changing the city boundaries.

Amendment 3 - Create a Charter Review Advisory Committee Every 10 years

The last full review of the charter was 26 years ago. Voter approval of this amendment will ensure that the charter is reviewed on a timelier basis.

Amendment 4 – Term of Office and Term Limits

The charter states that no member of the City Commission may serve more than four consecutive terms but the charter does not define what a term is. The recommended language: (1) excludes time served by a person that temporarily fills a vacancy and (2) includes time served by a person that resigns or otherwise vacates their office. Further, a commissioner or mayor that would term-out at the end of their current term, could resign from office prior to the end of that term, and then run for office again. Voter approval of this amendment will define the meaning of a term in office and close a loophole that allows someone to avoid the four-term limit.

Amendment 5 – Remove Salary Amounts from the Charter

Salaries were set in 1953 at $2,400 per year for a commissioner and $3,000 per year for the mayor and have never been changed. Voter approval of this amendment will allow the city commission to reset compensation to be more consistent with modern times.

Amendment 6 – Eliminate Special Elections to Fill Vacancies on the Commission

Voter approval of this amendment will allow the commission to fill its vacancies until the next election thereby eliminating the need to spend $30,000 for a special election.

Amendment 7 – Require the Commissioners and Mayor to be Physically Present

No one listening in over the phone can see public presentations that may include charts or photographs. Second, when listening over a telephone line, it is difficult to hear and impossible to see the body language of anyone in attendance. Voter approval of this amendment assures that the commissioners and the mayor are able to fully participate in commission meetings.

Amendment 8 – Remove conflicting verbiage in Charter Section 2.10

The second sentence states: “No member of the city commission shall give orders to any officer or employee of the city.” Then, in the fourth sentence, “… each member of the commission is free to direct the city manager …” The recommended language changes the fourth sentence to read: “… the commission, by a majority vote, may direct the city manager…” Voter approval removes a contradiction and assures the city manager that directions come from the commission as a whole.

Amendment 9 – Revise Section 2.08 to agree with Section 2.10

Voter approval of this amendment makes this section consistent with Recommendation #7.

Amendment 10 – Add Section 2.11 (b) (10) Amend Comprehensive Plan

This amendment adds the requirement of a super majority vote to make text changes to the Future Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Voter approval of this amendment will stabilize the Land Use Element by making it more difficult to quickly change the Comprehensive Plan.

Amendment 11 – Delete Public Safety Director

The city has not employed a public safety director for many years. Voter approval of this amendment removes an appearance of non-compliance with the charter.

Amendment 12 – Add a Local Code of Ethics

Voter approval of this amendment ensures that the city will maintain a local code of ethics.

— Gene Randall

Winter Park Charter Review Committee member