STATEMENT OF ISSUE
As required by Charter, the 2009 Charter Review Committee (CRC) was appointed on January 14, 2009, and was charged with the responsibility of reviewing the role, duties and functions of the mayor and city commissioners, as well as making recommendations to the Commission for amendments to the City Charter deemed appropriate and necessary by the committee. While the review process was to be completed within 60 days of the CRC’s appointment, the committee requested that it be given additional time in which to complete its deliberations. At the meeting of February 25, 2009, the Commission concurred to allow the CRC to present its report at the April 22, 2009 Commission meeting.
Members of the 2009 Charter Review Committee are:
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Accept the CRC’s report dated April 13, 2009, and schedule the required public hearing for either the May 27th or the June 24th Commission meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT
Gary Herndon, James R. English
City Treasurer-Clerk, City Attorney
For information, please contact: Jim English or Paula Cook
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
The 1996 creation of the Leadership Mayor has been one of the few major changes that has been made to the City Charter since the current City Charter was enacted by the special act of 1919. The City Commission understood that this change could have significant long-term impacts, and chose to require that a review committee be created to examine the results of transitioning from a ceremonial mayor to Leadership Mayor. The 2009 Charter Review Committee is the second charter review committee that has been convened and, consistent with the 2003 Charter Review Committee, was also charged with the responsibility of reviewing the role, duties and functions of the mayor and city commissioners, as well as making recommendations to the Commission for amendments to the City Charter deemed appropriate and necessary by the committee.
The 2009 Charter Review Committee held a total of nine (9) meetings, inclusive of one public hearing, and received input from the City Manager, the Mayor and each City Commissioner, and twenty-three (23) other speakers. The CRC voted to recommend that the Charter be amended to more clearly define the role of the Mayor, to convene a third charter review committee in January 2013, and also presented other recommendations or statements on areas that would not require Charter amendments.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
N/A
OPTIONS
1) Accept the CRC’s report and schedule the required public hearing for May 27, 2009.
2) Accept the CRC’s report and schedule the required public hearing for June 24, 2009.
3) Accept the CRC’s report and schedule the required public hearing for a date to be determined.
ATTACHMENTS/REFERENCES
City of Tallahassee Charter Review Committee Report and Recommendations