Bradenton Beach city commissioners changed the channel on Dec. 4.
Two days after participating in a failed attempt to force Mayor Bill Shearon from office, they were faced with a medical drama.
The meeting had progressed to a point where Commissioner Jan Vosburgh changed her mind and seconded Commissioner Janie Robertson’s motion to hold a vote on Shearon’s slate of nominees for the charter review board.
But just as Shearon was calling for the vote, city attorney Ricinda Perry fell from her chair, apparently fainting momentarily.
Commissioners, city staff and audience members rushed to her aid. Shearon yelled, “Call 9-1-1.”
Perry appeared, in the words of concerned onlookers, to be “hot.” She responded, saying she was OK. She was offered sugary foods and water.
Emergency services was apparently not called.
After a brief recess, Perry recovered and returned to her seat in front of the dais and the meeting resumed.
Recovering from eye surgery, Commissioner Ed Straight was absent. That set the stage for several 2-2 votes that killed motions related to Shearon’s slate of charter review board nominations.
Shearon was set to again call the vote on Robertson’s motion to approve his nominees when Vosburgh announced her desire to rescind her second.
Lacking a second — the mayor cannot make or second motions — Robertson’s motion died.
Perry counseled commissioners on the importance of approving a slate of CRB members before the deadline. The city is obligated to have a new board in place Jan. 1, she said.
Shearon had announced his five nominations to the board earlier in the meeting, after having asked commissioners for suggestions several times in recent months.
Only two commissioners — Vosburgh and Robertson — had responded to his call for submissions, the mayor said.
Among his nominees were three residents with planning and zoning board experience — Rick Bisio, John Burns and John Metz — and former Mayor John Shaughnessy and Barbara Rodocker, owner of BridgeWalk and Silver Surf resorts in Bradenton Beach.
“I’d like you to come up with other nominations, Mr. Mayor,” Vosburgh said.
Noting that Vosburgh has spoken highly of Rodocker in the past and that he nominated Vosburgh to serve as liaison to the board, Shearon said, “How many more do you want?”
Robertson said while she’d hoped to see a “condominium person” nominated, the list nevertheless includes “a good mix of people.”
The charter review board holds meetings to review the city’s guiding document, the city charter, and proposes amendments. Commissioners then get their bite of the apple, Shearon said. They vote on which proposed amendments to place on the ballot. Voters get the final vote, approving or rejecting amendments on Election Day.
A current charter provision, read aloud by Perry, allows commissioners to approve nominations, but it permits only the mayor to make them.
With Straight absent, Vice Mayor Jack Clarke wanted input on nominees from the full commission.
Clarke said choosing a charter review board “is probably the most important decision we are going to have to make during our terms in office.”
But Shearon said if commissioners don’t like his nominations, “we might want to bring our cots,” hinting it could be a long meeting.
Since Clarke did not submit names to the mayor, Robertson said he shouldn’t “pick apart” Shearon’s nominees.
Two motions by Clarke to hold a special meeting by Dec. 12 to collectively select the board members, failed 2-2. Clarke and Vosburgh supported the motions. Robertson and Shearon opposed holding the meeting on Clarke’s terms.
Because a panel must be approved before Jan. 1, Perry asked acting city clerk Terri Sanclemente to schedule the meeting. Sanclemente announced Dec. 5 that the special meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at city hall.
“We’ll start all over again,” Shearon said.
Softening the blow of scheduling another special meeting during the holidays, Perry said commissioners who prefer to attend by Skype may do so.