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CHARTER pEVIEW COMMITTEE - PUBlIC INPUT M��TING
C1TY �F CE.EAFiWAT�R
' June 1, 1998
Present: Timothy A. Jahnson, Jr. Chair
� Richard Fitzgerald Committee Member #departed 5:15 p.m.?
W��liam Justice Committee Member
Grant Petersen Committee Member �arrived 4: � 6 p.m.}
Pat Greer Committee Msmber
� Dougtas Hilkert Committee Mem�er ,
.itady Mitchell Committee Memt�er
Carolyn Warren Committee Member
Jackie Tobin Cammittee Membar
� Pamefa Akin City Attorney
Sue Diana Assistant City Clerk
� Cyndie Goudeau City Clerk
@renda Moses Board Reporter
Absent: Mayme Hodges Committee Member
The Chair calEed th� m�eting ta order at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall.
To pro�ide aontinuity for research, items are in agencEa arder aithough not
r�ecessari�y disc�ssed iR ti�at order,
Appravaf of Minutes - May 11, 7998 �
Member Mitchell moved to apprave the mi�utes as submitt�d in writing to
each member. The motion was duiy seconded and carried unanimously.
IT�M �1 - Public input
The Chair explai�ed the role of ths committee. He noted two pulali�
meetings wi�� be 3�sld to gather inpu# from the public regarding comments relating to
the City Charter.
. Sheila Cole askeci the�committee to keep in mind fhe City's Visi�n and One
City. One Future, when makin� changes to the Charter.
ITEM #2 - Review of Articles I and II
Article I
Section 1.01
Sub�?ar��ra � a
In response #o sugges�ed grammaticaf changes, tho City P►ttorney safd the
language in the Charter was similar to the Constitu#ion and Flarida Statutes. Ths
mchOfia98
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1
06/01198
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,� Charter grants the City Commission all pawers not expressly prohibited by �aw, A
,� � suggestion was made, in the first sentence, to add "the" befote City, and detete
"as" befare "created". Consensus was to make tfie chanpes.
Subparaqraph_�b�
lt was suggested adding a comma to the end o# this section and adding �he
clat�se "ar with any pers�n as defined by taw." This suggestion will aElow the City
to enter into contracts with other governmsnt agencies or private entities.
Cansensus was to make the changes.
S�sbparagraph_(d}
A suggestion was made to cample�ely delete subparagraph (di and fold it inta
subparagrap� (a]. The intent is t�at the City may exercise any pawer granted by
general or specia! acts of legislation, excapt expressly pra��bited by law. �xact
lang�rage was not provided. �
ArtiG1e II
Ir� response to a question� t�e City Attorney said the tit�e "Legislative"
foliowing "ArticIe !I", appears to address the "pawers" of the Commission. She wili
research the matter and report back ta the committee. ,
' ° � . 5ec#ion 2,41
�
5ubpara ra h a
Discussion ensued r�garding apprnpriate methods af encouraging citizens ta
become mora invai��d in government. It was questioned if the City Commission
should be expanded from 5 tn 7 members. it was also questioned if efections
sho�ld'be by district and at large cambined. A comment was made that larger is
not always better. The largar the board, committee, or cammissian� the mare
difficult it is to obtain a Ruorttm, cansensus, or take action, and tf�e dis�dvantages
far outweigh #he advantages. One member felt a farger cammission wauld prevent
#he farmation of "cliqu�s" and favaritESm to certain areas af the cnmmunity.
Consensus was not to expand the size o# the Commission and to cantinua to
cantiuct "at largo" elections.
Sutaparaqraph�
In response ta a question, the City Attorr�ey said the Commissifln wautd have
no affirmative duty if the last two Ifias of tt�is subparagraph referring to rulas of
procedures a�d ordinances, were deleted. ft was s��gested placing a period after
"... excapt as otherwise pravided by law...". After further discussion, it was
decided to leave it as is.
�
mc�06a9B 2 061�1198
� Subt�araaraph ial
It wss questioned why this Duties section was in the Charter. The City Clerk
� � said 10 years ago the evaluation seatian was intended to ensure that job
performance evatuat�ons were done, In response to a question, #he City Clork said
currently the only execu#ive and administra#ive appointees to the Comrr�ission are
the City Manager and #he City Attorney, 5uggestions were m�de to add a new
seritence after #he first sentence in this subparagraph: "As a part of the discharge
, of its duty, the Commission shaEl: ", anci deleting #he word "Cammisston" at t�te
beginning af each item number. Another suggestian was #or t�e sentence to rsad:
"[t s�all be the duty of the Cammissian to discharge: "� then list their duties.
Discussior� snsued regarding if this last change would infer that the fallowing list of
items were the only duties ot the Cammission. It was suggested listing both
s�ggestions in the minutes far further review by the cammittee.
.�. It was alsn suggested changes be made as follows to Item i: "Publicly
t eval�sate the perfarmance of the City Manager and City Attorney, reporting the
,' � results of such evaluations in Octo�er of each year. The eval�atior� process shall be
determined by the Commission." it was nated shauld additional executive or
� administrative appoir�tees t�e hired, this section will require updating.
Itern #2
In response to a question, tl�� City Attorney said there is an ordinance and
'"'`'� procedt�res in place for a flscal management pracedt�re code. It was suggested
`"�'�" changing subparagraph (c}, Item 2 as follows: "... adopt by ordinance a
' camprehensi�e system af fiiscai management."
In r�sp�nse to a question, the City Attorney said it is gvod fiscal poEicy ta
cancf�ct an annual independent aUdit af all city acco�nts, but was unsure if it is
required by law. �
ltem #3
In respor�se to a question, the City Attorney said s#�e will researCh if there is
ar�y lega! requirement as stated in this subparagraph� item 3�that "no firm shall be
employed fc�r more than iive consecutive years." It was suggesteti if this
requirement is State law, it shauld not be in the Charter. lt was requested the City
At#orney report to the committee what generaily accepted accounting or auditir�g
principles are with regard to timeframes.
Subaara ra h ci
item #�
1n response to a questian, the City Attorney said this item re#ers to the City's
tota! indebtedness being limitad to 20°� of current assessed �al�satian af aEl real
property in the City. It is a Charter requirement, not State iaw. The City has na
�� general obligation bonds sacured by ad valorem real property taxes. Such bonds
mch06a98 3 0610'� 198
r�, require a referendum. Revenue bands are paid fram revenuas o� a particular tax or
,T facility such as CGS {Clearwater Gas Systemi. It was remarked revenue bonds
ha�e no relationship to the assessed valuation af praperty in Clearwater. It was
� requested the �inance Director supply infnrmation regarding bnnds at the next
' meeting before a decision to change this item is made.
Item #2 - Purchas�s
in res�onse to aomments� the City CEerk indica#ed increases to the dollar
levef flf purchases that can be made without Commission approval have bean
approved at previous referendums. The City Attorney said this limitation d�es not
. address excaptions for emergency purchases ar services. It also requires the City
award bids to the [owest c�mpetitive bid, regardless af preference or quality of
service. It was remarked purchasing should l�e the subject of a detailed ordinar�ce
. rather than a C�arter provision. Anather suggestian made was ta delete this sec#ion
and to add a section under "Duties" to reqtaire a purchasing ordinanc�. The Chair
asEced far a shaw of hands which indicated 5 in favor of elimina#i�g ftem 2
. completely and placing this procedure under "duties" of the Cammission. Others
suggested further thought on the matter for future discussion af suggested changes.
The City Attorney suggested if the cammittee is cancerned about th� Commission
approval process, it may be possible to address ltem 2 ir� the budgeting process. It
was requested staff propase new language to address this item. Or�e member
suggested deleting the words "whenever practical" and �ncluding an emergency
clause.
��� '
�� (tem #3 - Dredqing.
.�1
� It has been suggested by staf# to eEiminate this section or increase the
allowable cubic yards for dredging or fill from 4,OQ0 to 20,000. In years past,
concern regarding frequent dredging prampt�d this restriction. It was �remariced
current requirerner�ts for dredging permits are much stricter and more difficult to
obtain. Staff will repor# to the cammittes the basis for the 20,000 cubic yard
sugges#ion. It was suggested ii a change is made ta allow increased dredging
without a referendum, that a public hearing be required prior to dredging in the City.
A citizen remarked the Clearwater Gazette reported there is a canceptual
proposal regarding dredging the bayfront from tt�e Memoriai Cau�eway Bridge to
Pierce 100 for a boat marina. Accarding to the Harbormas#er's o�fice, the ciredging
would be over 7,Ob0 cubic yards, which will be affected by changes to Section
2.01, subparagraph (d}, Item 3,
Other items
The City Attorney offered a standard model city charter from Denver,
Coiorado for committ�e members' review.
mchOfia98 4 06/01/98
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