Some changes are coming to the Holmes Beach charter.
Electors voted “yes” for eight charter amendments placed on the ballot by the city’s charter review commission.
The CRC is elected every five years — or on an ad hoc basis if needed — to review the charter for possible changes.
“I’m very pleased that they all passed. We worked really hard on this,” Ed Upshaw, chair of the now-defunct CRC said Nov. 5, following the election. “I’m also pleased there was a spread of votes. It shows people gave it thought.”
The vote was 767 “yes” and 90 “no” to charter amendment 1, which consolidates and revises the city’s legal description to include the Kingfish Boat Ramp and Grassy Point Preserve — land annexed by the city but not yet included in the city’s boundaries in the charter.
The vote was 704 “yes” and 152 “no” for charter amendment 2, which requires a supermajority vote of the city commission and a referendum in the next general election approved by a majority of voters, for the city to sell, vacate, convey, transfer or abandon real property or rights of way.
“It is so important that we maintain awareness of how city-owned land, like beach accesses, is handled,” Upshaw said. “This will be an interesting one to watch.
The third amendment allows budget transfers up to $100,000 to be approved through a resolution rather than an ordinance. It passed with 638 “yes” and 218 “no” votes.
“This will still require a commission vote,” Upshaw said. “It just means one vote instead of two public hearings. So it is a smoother process.”
Amendment 4, requiring a vote of the commission to terminate a department head, passed with 616 “yes” and 224 “no” votes.
“This was an important one and I’m glad it passed,” Upshaw said. “This amendment is important in conjunction with the removal of charter positions in amendments 6 and 7. This will ensure protection for people in those roles.”
Amendment 5 clarifies language in the charter to state the city treasurer presents the annual audit but doesn’t prepare the audit. A professional auditing firm conducts the audit. The measure received 730 “yes” and 119 “no” votes.
Amendment 6, removing the “building and public works department,” from the charter, including the building official and public works director positions, passed with 493 “yes” and 345 “no” votes.
Amendment 7 removes the human resources department from the charter and passed with 557 “yes” and 282 “no” votes.
The vote was 627 “yes” and 228 “no” for charter amendment 8, which transfers election candidacy filing responsibilities from the city clerk to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, as is the case in Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach.
“I think they are all beneficial to the city,” Upshaw said of the amendments. “And I think we will see some changes because of them.”
Of 2,692 registered voters in Holmes Beach,
490 cast ballots on Election Day, Nov. 5, at precinct No. 305, St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, and 402 voted by mail.