07/24/2019 Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes July 24, 2019
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
e
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
4:30 PM
Main Library - 2nd Floor Board Room
Charter Review Committee
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City of Clearwater
Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes July 24, 2019
Roll Call
Present:12 - Chair Michael Mannino, Vice Chair Darryl James Henderson,
Committee Member Richard Adelson, Committee Member Kathleen
Agnew, lCommittee Member Marilyn Kagan, Committee Member Kelly
S. Kelly, Committee Member David Lillesand, Committee Member
Marita M. Lynch, Committee Member Bruce Rector, Committee
Member Mike Riordon, Committee Member Sean Schrader and
Committee Member Michael D. Anderson
Absent: 1 - Committee Member Becca Tieder
Also present: City Attorney Pamela K. Akin and City Clerk Rosemarie Call
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
Unapproved
1. Call to Order— Chair Mannino
The meeting was called to order at 4:31 p.m. in the Main Library.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the July 10, 2019 Charter Review Committee meeting as
submitted in written summation by the City Clerk.
Committee Member Riordon moved to approve the minutes of the July 10,
2019 Charter Review Committee meeting as submitted in written summation
by the City Clerk. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. New Business
3.1 Discuss Public Hearing Input.
Discussion ensued with comments made that the public hearing was well
attended, drew the attention of several current and former elected city
officials and participants were well informed and thankful that the
Committee was there to listen. It was stated that the NAACP, the
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Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes July 24, 2019
Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition and the Clearwater Regional
Chamber of Commerce advertised the event.
In response to a question, the City Attorney said the suggestion made by
a citizen to have city council composed of three elected and two
appointed councilmembers cannot be done legally. The city council
cannot appoint elected officials.
Discussion ensued with comments made that most of the individuals who
spoke at the public hearing supported districts and increasing the council
to seven members. It was stated that one individual, who represented the
NAACP, supported council being elected at-large with a district residency
requirement. It was stated that districting would take away some of the
costs associated with at-large campaigns. A concern was expressed that
districting may lead to ward politics.
In response to a concern, the City Attorney said the current charter does
not address a scenario in which no one ran for a single-member district.
The charter addresses vacancy or if something happens to a candidate
during qualification.
A concern was expressed that the only issues raised to support changing
the current form of representation was to lessen the cost to run a citywide
election campaign or time associated to serve on the current 5-member
council.
In response to questions, the City Attorney said typically the charter will
outline the districting process. Council would establish a committee who
would make recommendations to council who would then adopt the districts.
Redistricting is done every 10 years and typically drawn around precincts.
The City Attorney said any refinements would be done by ordinance.
Districts are compact and contain roughly the same population. City
elections are non-partisan. Proposed districts would have to meet the criteria
established by ordinance. She said the City of St. Petersburg holds a primary
where the two top vote getters in a district are then voted at-large. With
plurality, only one election is needed because the candidate with the highest
votes prevails. The committee would be convened after the 2020 census.
The implementation of districts would begin in 2022.
A comment was made that increasing the council membership to seven
would increase citizen and neighborhood representation. Concerns were
expressed that a 4-2-1 option would not guarantee greater neighborhood
representation or diversity. It was stated that districting would lower
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Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes July 24, 2019
campaign costs and provide neighborhood representation.
In response to a concern, the City Attorney urged the Committee not to
focus on what would happen if no one ran for a district, charter language
can address the issue if the Committee decides to make that
recommendation.
Committee Member Riordon moved to increase the council to 7
members, comprised of 1 mayor and 6 councilmembers. The motion
was duly seconded.
Discussion ensued with concerns expressed that districting would
encourage ward politics. It was stated that officials elected at-large are
accountable to the entire city.
Committee Member Riordon withdrew his motion.
Committee Member Riordon moved to increase the council to 7
members, 6 residency required districts, all voted at-large and the
mayor voted at-large. The motion was duly seconded.
The City Attorney read Option 2b, Model City Charter. The council shall be
comprised of six members elected by the voters of the city at-large, not more
than one councilmember shall reside in each district. This option would
require six geographic districts, councilmembers must live in a district but are
elected at-large. She said the mayor would be referenced in another
charter section. The City Attorney said this is similar to the system in the
City of St. Petersburg.
In response to a question, the City Attorney said currently, candidates run
for a seat that does not represent a geographic area. If districting is
instituted, candidates would run for a district.
Discussion ensued with comments made that districting has the ability to
decrease the talent pool and to increase the ability of not finding people to
run.
An individual said that sometimes good candidates are clustered in the
same area, districting does not guarantee that elected officials will go out
into the community.
Upon the motion being taken, the motion failed with the following vote:
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Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes July 24, 2019
Ayes: 4 - Committee Member Adelson, Committee Member Agnew, Committee
Member Lynch and Committee Member Riordon
Nays: 8 - Chair Mannino, Vice Chair Henderson, Committee Member Kagan,
Committee Member Kelly, Committee Member Lillesand, Committee
Member Rector, Committee Member Schrader and Committee
Member Anderson
Committee Member Lynch departed at 5:32 p.m.
A comment was made that African Americans make less than 10% of the
population and Latinos less than 16%, although these segments of the
population are growing, districting now will not guarantee they will be
represented on council.
Committee Member Henderson moved to expand the council to 7
members, including the mayor, with all seats to be elected at-large. The
motion was duly seconded and carried with the following vote:
Ayes: 8 - Chair Mannino, Vice Chair Henderson, Committee Member Adelson,
Committee Member Agnew, Committee Member Kagan, Committee
Member Rector, Committee Member Schrader and Committee
Member Anderson
Nays: 3 - Committee Member Kelly, Committee Member Lillesand and
Committee Member Riordon
3.2 Set agenda for next meeting.
The City Attorney said she will bring proposed language for the
Committee's consideration. The Committee can begin reviewing those
items that have not been resolved at the next meeting. The City Clerk
said the August 14 meeting must be rescheduled because it conflicts with
a scheduled council meeting.
There was consensus to move the August 14 meeting to Wednesday,
August 21 at 4:30 p.m.
4. Public Comment
Bill Jonson thanked the Committee for the discussion and added if it was
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Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes
easy, the Council would have done it.
July 24, 2019
Committee Member Agnew shared census information and encouraged
all to participate in the 2020 census.
City of Clearwater
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