Soon it will be up to voters.
The Bradenton Beach mayor and commissioners approved the final reading of an ordinance Aug. 27 to place seven charter amendment questions on the Nov. 6 municipal ballot.
The city made its Aug. 28 deadline for the ballot questions to go to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office.
The first reading of the ordinance, held Aug. 16, and the final reading passed 4-1 with Commissioner Randy White voting “nay” both times.
Prior to the commission vote, an ad hoc committee reviewed and made recommendations on the charter amendments approved by voters in 2017, as well as amendments proposed for the November ballot by the political action committee, Keep Our Residential Neighborhoods.
In June, the city blocked four amendments proposed by KORN citing insufficiencies.
KORN founders Reed Mapes and John Metz are suing the city to get their proposed ballot questions before voters, which will require a special election. The hearing with the city for KORN’s amendments isn’t until Sept. 6, after the SOE deadline for the November ballot.
“(The city) should have tried to get the KORN initiatives on the ballot and worked to defeat them,” Mapes said Aug. 22. “Being second, if we have a special election for ours, it is an advantage to us.”
KORN’s proposed initiatives would prohibit the construction of a multilevel parking garage anywhere in the city; require city commission vacancies be filled by election; prevent construction within setbacks; and require a certified public manager to serve as chief executive officer.
The city’s charter amendment 1 proposes reinstating “at-large voting for all elected officials, including mayor and four neighborhood ward commissioners.”
If the electorate approves the ballot question, new wards — similar to the wards ended by the electorate in 2017 — would be established by the SOE.
A charter amendment eliminating the four wards in favor of at-large elections was approved last year by 55 percent of voters.
“What makes the city commission smarter than the hundreds of people who voted for no wards?” Mapes asked. “The sole reason to keep wards is to reduce the number of people running. Ward issues are citywide issues.”
Proposed city charter amendment 3 asks, “Should the city amend its charter to expressly provide for a balanced commission form of government, with the mayor and commissioners all having equal executive and legislative powers?”
Regarding the proposed amendment, Mapes said, “So, number 3 says we have five leaders, not one.” He added, “I can see that being war games in the future.”
The ballot question for proposed charter amendment 4 asks if the city commission shall “exclusively” retain hiring and firing powers for city staff.
“Of course, even if this passes, and KORN’s (question) goes to a vote and the city manager passes, it will supersede the city’s amendment number 4,” Mapes said.
Proposed charter amendment 6 addresses filling commission vacancies. If approved, this section would add a resign-to-run provision, allowing the commission to appoint someone to fill a spot that would remain vacant more than six months until the next general election, when a successor would be elected.
KORN is proposing a charter amendment requiring all vacancies be filled by election.
“Every one of the city’s proposed amendments is meant to reduce the number of people who will run in order to allow the commission to appoint their cronies,” Mapes said. “They should’ve tried to get ours in with theirs to find out what the people really want.”