CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: June 24, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: 1st and Final Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 09-O-30; Filling Unanticipated City Commission Vacancies
TARGET ISSUE:
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Section 14 of the City Charter requires that a special election be conducted in the event that a regular municipal election is not scheduled to be held in the November following the filling of the vacancy. The Leon County Supervisor of Elections estimates the current cost of a standalone special City election would be approximately $342,000, and that his office requires 12 weeks notice before the election is held. Due to current economic conditions, staff recommends that Section 14 of the City Charter be amended to eliminate the special election requirement to avoid the potential of incurring the added election costs.
Ordinance 09-O-30 was introduced at the June 10, 2009 City Commission meeting, and public hearing was set for June 24, 2009.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Option 1 - Hold the public hearing on Ordinance No. 09-O-30 and adopt the ordinance as submitted.
FISCAL IMPACT
$342,000 - $680,000 potential savings.
Gary Herndon, City Treasurer-Clerk
James R. English, City Attorney
For information, please contact: Gary Herndon, 891-8131 or Jim English, 891-8554
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
Prior to the permanent change in election dates to the fall of even numbered years, City elections were held in February of each year on a 2-2-1 cycle. Any vacancy in the office of City Commission would be filled by the City Commission until the following February, at which time an election was held to fill the remainder of the term in question. The date of City elections has been the subject of much discussion over the years and the issue was finalized on March 9, 2004, as the result of a referendum ballot that required that the City’s election dates would be consistent with State and Federal elections. However, the codification of the amendment retained the language in Section 14 of the City Charter, which requires that a special election be conducted following the filling of the vacancy in the event a regular municipal election is not scheduled.
The Leon County Supervisor of Elections estimates the current cost of a standalone special City election would be approximately $342,000, and that his office requires 12 weeks notice before the election is held. Due to current economic conditions, staff recommends that Section 14 of the City Charter be amended to eliminate the special election requirement to avoid the potential of incurring the added election costs.
OPTIONS
ATTACHMENTS