The results are in from a short review of the Bradenton Beach charter.
A charter review committee is recommending to city commissioners that several questions — including topics of term limits and elected officials’ salary raises — be put to the voters in November.
The commission established and appointed the charter review committee in early April with the task to deliver a report and recommendations by early May.
CRC members Ed Straight, Anne Leister, Jim Hassett and Dan DeBaun assembled at Bradenton Beach City Hall April 26. Member Tom Little attended remotely.
They gathered for their second meeting on possible changes to the charter, a governing document for municipal governments originally adopted by the electorate. The charter may be amended only by voters through a referendum.
Every Florida city operates under a charter and amending the document can require a review committee that drafts and proposes changes, first considered by city commissioners, who can elect to put the change to voters at the polls.
The committee made the following recommendations.
- Wards: Committee members voted 4-1 to keep the four voting wards as they exist now. Commissioners must reside in their ward but are elected citywide. Hassett dissented, saying wards are not needed.
- Term limits: The committee voted unanimously to ask voters to eliminate term limits and also whether they want to extend terms from two to four years.
- Supra majority: Committee members recommended asking voters to strike language in the charter requiring four of five commissioners to approve comprehensive plan amendments.
- Salary increases: CRC members unanimously voted to recommend asking voters to increase commission member salaries.
- Forfeiture of office: Members voted to recommend asking voters to strike portions of the “forfeiture of office” section of the charter that was approved by voters in 2015 to establish tighter controls on forfeiture of office.
City attorney Ricinda Perry led the review, making suggestions and assisting the CRC members.
At Perry’s suggestion, the city commission tasked the CRC specifically with addressing term limits — elected officials can hold an office for three consecutive terms — and revising the city’s four voting wards. Four commissioners are elected from the wards where they reside and the vote is citywide. The mayoral vote also is citywide.
Discussion and comments
During public comment, David Bell, who had spoken to the committee during the first charter review meeting, again addressed members.
Bell argued against another attempt to remove term limits — as the question was on the ballot in November 2021.
“I hate to see it go back on the ballot because I don’t think it looks good to keep voting on this thing until you get the result you want,” he said.
With the three-term limit in effect, Mayor John Chappie will term out of office in 2023.
Straight, chair of the CRC and a former commissioner, spoke in favor of doing away with term limits.
“It seems to be working in the other cities and it doesn’t stop anybody from running,” Straight said.
Anna Maria and Holmes Beach have no term limits for elected officials.
On the issue of extending terms, he said, “I’m a little concerned about a four-year term myself because if there is somebody that is a problem, you gotta put up with them for a long time. At least have an election every two years.”
DeBaun had suggested keeping term limits but lengthening the terms from two years to four years, allowing elected officials time to gain an understanding of projects, budgets and administering them.
Straight called two questions for the ballot, one that would ask voters to eliminate term limits and one to ask voters to extend terms from two to four years.
The committee was unanimous in recommending both questions for the ballot.
Perry thanked the committee for their opinions and said the next step is for the commission to consider the CRC recommendations.
“First, it goes to the commission to see if everyone accepts the recommendations, then it goes to the voters,” Perry said.
If the city approves the recommendations, they will then be formatted into ballot questions, which must be sent to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections by June to be incorporated on the Nov. 8, general election ballot.
People interested in the commission discussion on the recommendations can attend the meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
To read the charter, go online to library.municode.com and search “code library” for the city.