05/14/2015 CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
May 14, 2015
Present: Brian J. Aungst, Jr. Chair
David E. Allbritton Committee Member
Jane D. Bongo Committee Member
Karen Cunningham Committee Member
Dirk A. Curls Committee Member
David Loyd Committee Member
William Sturtevant Committee Member
Absent Bud Elias Vice Chair
Nino Accetta Committee Member
Leann J. DuPont Committee Member
Rosemarie Kibitlewski Committee Member
George Mantzaris Committee Member
Also Present: Pamela Akin City Attorney
Rosemarie Call City Clerk
Nicole Sprague ORLS Coordinator
The meeting was called to order at 5:54 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the April 9, 2015 and the April 23, 2015 Charter Review Committee
Meetings as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk.
Committee Member Sturtevant moved to approve the minutes of the April 9, 2015
Charter Review Committee meeting. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously
Committee Member Sturtevant moved to approve the minutes of the April 23, 2015
Charter Review Committee meeting. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously
3. New Business
3.1 Strong Mayor Presentation by Former St. Petersburg Mayor Dave Fischer
Mr. Fischer said when he was elected in 1991, the City of St. Petersburg was coming
apart. There was an empty multi-million dollar stadium and two months after he entered office
the City Manager resigned. He said the Police Chief was new to the city and was polarizing the
community. The Interim City Manager fired the Police Chief. Supporters of the terminated
Police Chief petitioned the City to change the form of government to strong mayor during the
Charter Review 2015-05-14 1
same election that the former Police Chief ran against Mr. Fischer for Mayor in 1993. Mr.
Fischer won the election and the City changed its form of government to Strong Mayor on the
same day. He said he visited Orlando and Tampa, cities with a strong mayor form of
government, to see how their Mayors ran their cities, as he had no knowledge of this form of
government. He created a Neighborhood Development Department to address neighborhood
issues, which over time became a model for other cities.
In response to questions, Mr. Fischer said the Mayor's seat was elected at large, and the
Council had district seats before and after the strong mayor decision. The two top council
candidates were elected citywide. He opined a change in form of government takes a strong
push from an outside source. He said the St. Petersburg City Council is non - partisan. Mr.
Fischer said the St. Petersburg City Council had no authority regarding the hiring and firing of
city staff. He said it costs more money to have a strong mayor; in addition to the mayor's salary,
the city must budget for an administrator. He mentioned that a good strong mayor can do a lot
but a good city manager can also do a lot. He said that as a strong mayor, he submitted the
budget and was able to institute programs and process changes, which may have taken longer
to institute in a weak -mayor form of government.
3.2 Review Section 2.01(d)(5), Real Property.
Discussion ensued regarding a list of potential charter changes that have been
presented to the Committee. Concern was expressed regarding the Committee's responsibility
since the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is no longer moving to the City Hall site. The City
Attorney explained that all issues on the bluff previously discussed by the Committee were still
options for them to change, for example: proposing to put restrooms at the Harbor Marina and
allowing kayak rentals. There was consensus to strike the last sentence in Section
2.01(d)(5)(vii) regarding leases of real property in an industrial park relating to reasonable rate
of return and the rent escalation clause. Concerns were expressed regarding eliminating the
lease provisions in the absence of a Bluff Master Plan There was consensus not to pursue the
staff recommended change of allowing the sale /lease of property above the 28' line for
development without referendum.
In response to questions, the City Clerk said she will contact the City Councilmembers
and former Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard to address the Committee. She said ballot
language is due to the Supervisor of Elections by the end of December.
4. Citizens to be heard regarding items not on the agenda: None
The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Attest:
City Clerk
Charter Review 2015 -05 -14
Chair, Charter Review Com ittee
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