Charter Review Starts Reviewing !
The Fort Lauderdale Charter Review Board, charged with looking over the rules that govern the City, began a review tonight that has been stalled for months. After a number of false starts, things actually began to crawl forward this evening.
Part of the hold-up has been the powerful and opinionated membership that makes up the committee. Tonight, they were all on their best behavior. Dan Lewis, who has experience on the County's Charter Review Board as well as the City Board, let other members take the lead. And Judy Stern, who is known as the most brazen of Broward's political campaign consultants, kept her jabs at Lewis, her perennial foe, at a minimum.
Much of the credit for the forward momentum seemed to belong to the new Chair, Greg Durden. He kept things civil, and seemed adept at his new post as referee.
The Reviewing Panel Actually Reviewing
Despite the progress, the results were not very impressive.
There were three items on the agenda to review, and one got passed on to the Commission (and hopefully to the voters). It was also the easiest; a citywide referendum to allow the Commission's Auditor and the City Clerk to hire and fire their own employees, without City Manager involvement. This will make those Departments completely independent of the City Manager, and therefore loyal to the elected officials.
The other two items that were deferred to future meetings were whether to change the City Elections to November (to coincide with Presidential Elections), and whether to allow resigning Commissioners to have a say in their replacements.
The public was invited to comment, and the harshest comments came from Art Seitz, a well known beach activist, known for his rather outspoken style. His comments ranged from "Let's not have anymore morons like Keno", to "don't let these bums hang around for eight years".
The panel adjourned after about an hour and twenty minutes and agreed to meet again soon.
Part of the hold-up has been the powerful and opinionated membership that makes up the committee. Tonight, they were all on their best behavior. Dan Lewis, who has experience on the County's Charter Review Board as well as the City Board, let other members take the lead. And Judy Stern, who is known as the most brazen of Broward's political campaign consultants, kept her jabs at Lewis, her perennial foe, at a minimum.
Much of the credit for the forward momentum seemed to belong to the new Chair, Greg Durden. He kept things civil, and seemed adept at his new post as referee.
The Reviewing Panel Actually Reviewing
Despite the progress, the results were not very impressive.
There were three items on the agenda to review, and one got passed on to the Commission (and hopefully to the voters). It was also the easiest; a citywide referendum to allow the Commission's Auditor and the City Clerk to hire and fire their own employees, without City Manager involvement. This will make those Departments completely independent of the City Manager, and therefore loyal to the elected officials.
The other two items that were deferred to future meetings were whether to change the City Elections to November (to coincide with Presidential Elections), and whether to allow resigning Commissioners to have a say in their replacements.
The public was invited to comment, and the harshest comments came from Art Seitz, a well known beach activist, known for his rather outspoken style. His comments ranged from "Let's not have anymore morons like Keno", to "don't let these bums hang around for eight years".
The panel adjourned after about an hour and twenty minutes and agreed to meet again soon.
Charter Review and their continuing antics: Much Ado About Nothing! Gremlin
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Who is the Wright guy on the end that didn't speak the entire time - at either meeting - he needs to participate with the Board in discussion and coming to a conclusion....
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Why are the city clerk, city manager and city auditor sitting on the dais with the Charter Review Board - they aren't members! City Attorney is their advisor and most often isn't paying attention or working to complete the job the Commission asked to be done! Guess they want to control their futures as well as everything else!
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Having watched two sessions of this group - one is led to wonder exactly what their agenda is? While Durden was polite and attempted to retain control of the meeting, Member Stern was vocal, out of order, and still not connected to the task at hand or other members. Member Fertig took the time to get to the botton of the concerns of the public and to hear what the residents wanted to have considered in moving the election to November to coincide with the national - a cost savings on one hand and a means to increase participation on the other - and to have an understanding of what the public wanted in term limits. Member Lewis pointed out clearly that if it is the "will" of the Commission to put anything on the ballot, they are not required to have the Charter Review Board make the request - this is just political coverage for anyone's agenda...and what's up with the member on the end who doesn't speak or participate - if he isn't interest or engaged - he should go.
Having delayed this meeting unduly, coming unprepared, not understanding the role or perhaps being given direction by a commissioner to stall - the city attorney has provided his opinion that there is not a rush - however it was a consensus to make the election and term limit change by the Commission. Again - who is in charge?
Put the questions on the ballot and let the residents decide - the CRB is advisory at best to the Commission but it is the public who will make the decision - let them do their job!
Explain to Member Durden that bashing past and current commissioners bya citizen is not an acceptable form of expression - the Charter is to review issues in front of them - not to provide a political platform for a resident to be hateful and never reach a conclusion....
Commission - there is still time to put the questions on the upcoming ballot - you will just have to tell your City Attorney that it is a priority and he will have to go to work now and get the job done.
As I last recall - the public is the deciding factor.....get it on the upcoming ballot!
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