The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee wasted no time in asking some major questions.
At their first meeting, held Feb. 2 in chambers at city hall, CRC members discussed the merits of a city manager, decreasing the number of elected commissioners and increasing term lengths for commissioners and the mayor.
The city must review its charter every five years by appointing a board of volunteers to comb through the document and presenting a slate of potential amendments to city commissioners for approval.
Charter amendments are added to general election ballots as initiatives, so final approval falls to the city’s electorate.
The city’s last charter review was done in 2019.
This year’s CRC consists of five residents appointed by the city commission: Chris Arendt, Stevie Coppin, Scott Isherwood, Pat Olesen and Chuck Wolfe.
Deputy clerk Fransheska Berrios, who is facilitating the charter review process this year, swore the appointees onto the board.
Berrios then provided forms for members to nominate a chair and vice chair.
However, the CRC members agreed that they were unfamiliar with each other and unable to provide informed nominations for the positions.
Instead, they asked for someone to volunteer to serve as chair.
Arendt stepped up and the committee unanimously voted to approve his appointment.
Olesen was then unanimously appointed to serve as vice chairperson.
City Commission Chair Mark Short, who was a member of the 2019 review committee, helped introduce the members to the review process.
City attorney Becky Vose, who attended via speakerphone, also helped explain the process.
Vose said the goal of the committee was to review the city charter for substantive changes, not stylistic, which she said included wording alterations like changing “happy” to “glad.”
The CRC then took things from the top, beginning with Article I, “Creation and Powers,” which establishes the municipal government and its structure.
They also reviewed Article II, “Corporate Limits,” but much of the committee’s discussion revolved around other matters.
Olesen brought up the possibility of implementing a city manager form of government, which is when a professional manager is the city administrator.
She said she did not know if it was a good idea or not, but she wanted to “throw it out there.”
CRC members agreed to visit the topic during their review of Article III, “Legislative,” which details city elections, powers and processes.
Wolfe suggested discussion on lowering the number of commissioners from five to three as the city has struggled with maintaining a five-member board.
“We seem to appoint more than we elect with five members of the commission. So it seems like a legitimate question to ask whether we should have three members of the commission because that’s all we ever elect. Then we appoint people to fill the other two (seats),” Wolfe said.
Asked his opinion, Short said he preferred a five-member commission for a more diverse representation of the community.
Olesen said that if fewer people were interested in running for elected office, they could make it easier for those who stick around by increasing term lengths.
Wolfe supported the idea, stating that the two-year election cycle seemed “onerous.”
Arendt said they needed to find a balance for term lengths since he knew two past officials who were only interested in serving two years.
CRC members agreed to circle back and continue the discussions on potentially decreasing the number of elected officials and increasing term lengths at a future meeting.
There was no public comment and no members of the public attended the meeting.
The charter review will resume with Article III, section 3.01, “City Commission, powers; composition,” at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.