CLEARWATER - A group of citizens and elected officials reviewing the Pinellas County Charter for potential changes decided Monday they need more time.
The charter review commission voted in favor of continuing to meet for two years, pending a majority approval from Pinellas voters.
All charter review changes go on the ballot, and the question for reconstituting the charter review commission through December 2006 will be considered in November's general election.
Roy Harrell was the only member to vote against the ordinance. He had wanted more specific language in the ordinance asking the group to work toward "building consensus" with city, county and state officials before making changes. The other members said that language was implied in the existing language.
The charter review commission approved six specific changes that will also go before voters in November. Four deal with the county administrator's powers, including one that would let the top official fire and hire senior staff without approval from the County Commission, and another designating the administrator as the county's budget officer.
Two other amendments would expand the powers of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority. One would add four members to the board of directors. The other would make the agency a countywide transit service.
During a public hearing, 15 people asked the charter review commission to add a "safewater amendment" to its agenda that would allow voters to decide whether the county should add fluoride to its water. The County Commission voted last year to add fluoride and began doing so this month. The charter review commission declined, saying that is a matter of "policy" for the County Commission.
The commission meets one last time on Monday, July 12.
