A Zephyrhills citizens committee suggests a host of changes, including eliminating one council seat and empowering the mayor with a vote.
By MOLLY MOORHEAD, Times Staff Writer
Published November 15, 2005
ZEPHYRHILLS - City Council members had their first look Monday at a committee's recommended changes to the city charter.
A citizens group has been reviewing the document for the past several months and came up with a slew of suggested changes. Some are routine, intended to bring the charter up to date. Others, though, have the potential to spur controversy, such as an amendment that would eliminate one council seat and empower the mayor with a vote.
Council members will next pore through all the changes themselves and decide which to put before voters. The changes are scheduled to go on the ballot in April's municipal election and, if approved, would take effect in 2007.
Council members, in a joint workshop with the committee, gave a few hints Monday about what they think of the proposed changes.
Council member Liz Geiger questioned a new section directing that the city provide police and fire departments, wondering how that would work in the face of a budget shortfall.
Council President Cathi Compton raised the requirement of a four-fifths vote to fire the city manager - a provision that already exists but which sparked heated debate on the citizens committee.
One committee member quit over the issue and it was the only topic that required a vote. Every other proposal was arrived at by consensus.
Council member Clyde Bracknell said the change in the mayor's position robs the council of an additional point of view since the entire panel would be reduced from six members to five.
Marilyn Crotty, a consultant who has facilitated the charter review, cautioned that the charter should be kept free of current politics. "The charter is your basic constitution for the city," she said. "It should not get bogged down in the details that, really, can change over time."
Committee member Rj Morgan added: "It's a contract with the citizens."
In other news, council members during their regular Monday night meeting approved an amended ordinance regulating city parks. The new law moves up park closing time from midnight to 10 p.m., among other provisions. The board will vote on the ordinance once more before it takes effect.
