City of Venice 2022 Charter Amendments Fact Sheet

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City of Venice 2022 Charter Amendments Fact Sheet

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

QUESTION 1: BOARD APPOINTMENTS

Currently the Mayor makes all appointments to operating and advisory boards with the advice and consent of City Council. Should the Charter be amended to have City Council make board appointments? YES/NO

 

 City: A “YES” vote for Question 1 would require the City Council as a body to make board appointments, rather than just provide advice and consent to the Mayor.

 

QUESTION 2: PRESIDING AT A MEETING

Currently there is no requirement for the person presiding over a Council meeting to be physically present. Should the Charter be amended to require the person presiding over a Council meeting where a physical quorum is required to be physically present? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 2 would require the Mayor (or Vice Mayor in his absence) to be physically present at a Council meeting where a physical quorum is required in order to chair the meeting (rather than chairing the meeting on a virtual platform like Zoom).

 

QUESTION 3: DELEGATIONS TO CITY MANAGER

Should the Charter be amended to allow City Council to delegate certain duties to the City Manager such as the execution of contracts and other documents and the signing of checks for payments of obligations? YES/NO
 

 

CITY: A “YES” vote for Question 3 would allow the City Manager to perform administrative functions like executing approved contracts and other documents and signing checks for payments of budgeted obligations, instead of only the Mayor, who performs these duties now.

 

QUESTION 4: SELECTION OF VICE MAYOR

Currently Council elects a Vice Mayor at its first regular meeting following the City election, which can occur before the certification of the election results and the seating of any newly elected members. Should the Charter be amended to have Council elect a Vice Mayor at its first regular meeting following the certification of the results of the City election? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 4 would prevent the situation of a Vice Mayor having to be selected before the certification of the City election results and the seating of any newly elected members.

 

QUESTION 5: TERM LIMITS

Currently no person may serve as Mayor and as City Council Member in any combination for more than six consecutive elected terms. Should the Charter be amended to reduce it to no more than three consecutive elected terms? YES/NO

City: A “YES” vote for Question 5 means no one person can serve as Mayor and City Council member in any combination for more than 3 consecutive elected terms (9 years) versus 6 terms (18 years).

 

 

QUESTION 6: MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS’ COMPENSATION

The Mayor is currently paid a monthly salary of $1,000 and councilmembers are paid a monthly salary of $850. Should the Charter be amended to set Council Members’ annual salary to 20% of the annual salary of Sarasota County Commissioners, as determined by the State Legislature, with the Mayor receiving an additional $1,200 annually? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 6 would set Council Members’ annual salary at $18,587 (20% of the annual FY21-22 salary of Sarasota County Commissioners), with the Mayor receiving an additional $1,200 per year for a salary of $19,787.

 

QUESTION 7: CITY COUNCIL MEETING ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

Currently a Council Member would forfeit office if the Council Member fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings without being excused. Should the Charter be amended to require forfeiture of office if a Council Member fails to attend in-person three regular meetings in a calendar year without being excused? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 7 would require a Council Member to forfeit office if they fail to attend, in-person, any three regular meetings in a calendar year without being excused by Council Members.

 

QUESTION 8: STANDARD OF CONDUCT

Should the Charter be amended to make any violation of the Florida Code of Ethics or standards of conduct a potential ground for forfeiture of office instead of a mandatory ground for forfeiture of office? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 8 means any violation of the Florida Code of Ethics or standards of conduct may be a potential ground for forfeiture of office, instead of mandatory.

 

 

QUESTION 9: TERM FOR FILLING OF A VACANCY

Currently a person appointed by City Council to fill a vacancy in the office of City Council only serves until a successor is elected at the next regular election or a special election called for that purpose. Should the Charter be amended to allow the appointed person to serve the remaining unexpired term of the Council Member whose office is being filled? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 9 means a person appointed to fill a vacancy on the Council will serve the remaining unexpired term of the Council Member, instead of until a successor is elected at the next regular election or a special election called to determine a successor.

 

QUESTION 10: FILLING OF VACANCIES IN OFFICE

Currently the Charter requires City Council to fill a vacancy in the office of City Council within 30 days, or a special election must be held within 60 days of the vacancy. Should the Charter be amended to require City Council to fill a vacancy within 60 days, eliminating the possibility of a special election, and using plurality voting with a tie decided by drawing lots? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 10 would require City Council to fill a vacancy on City Council within 60 days, with no option for a special election, and use plurality voting (where the candidate who polls more votes than any other candidate is elected) with a tie decided by drawing lots.

 

QUESTION 11: DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSED BUDGET

Currently the Charter states that the City Manager’s proposed general fund component of the budget shall not be increased by greater than 3 percent of the approved general fund component of the budget for the prior year. Should the Charter be amended to clarify that it is the initial adopted budget for the prior year that this calculation is based upon? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 11 clarifies that the City Manager’s proposed general fund component of the budget shall not be increased by greater than 3 percent of the approved general fund component of the initial adopted budget for the prior year, versus the approved general fund component at the end of the prior fiscal year, which may include budget modifications.

 

QUESTION 12: MISCELLANEOUS REVISIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, AND CORRECTIONS

Should the Charter be amended to: (1) remove notice requirements for budget public hearings and instead defer to state law; (2) remove the requirement that Council prescribe the form of ballot, which is handled by the County Supervisor of Elections; (3) clarify that Council has the power to authorize the issuance of certificates of indebtedness; and (4) clarify where the oath of office for every officer of the city is to be kept on file? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 12 has 4 components. It would remove notice requirements for budget public hearings and defer to state law; remove the requirement that Council prescribe the ballot form, which is handled by the Supervisor of Elections; clarify that Council has the power to authorize the issuance of bonds or certificates of indebtedness; and clarify where the oath of office for every City officer is to be kept on file.

 

QUESTION 13: SURETY BONDING

Should the Charter be amended to remove a requirement that City Council bond certain City positions? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 13 would remove a requirement no longer needed that Council determine what City positions shall be bonded, and the amount.

 

QUESTION 14: NO CANDIDATES AND ONE CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE

Should the Charter be amended to include a provision that if there is only one qualified candidate for a seat, that candidate shall be declared elected, and if there is no qualified candidate for a seat, the term of the Mayor or City Council Member holding that seat will be extended until the next regular election? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 14 would add confirmation in the Charter that if only one candidate qualifies for Mayor or a Council seat within the time limit for qualifications, that person will be elected to the office. A “YES” vote would also add a provision to address what happens if no candidate qualifies for Mayor or a Council seat — the term of the Mayor or Council Member holding the seat will be extended until the next election.

 

QUESTION 15: INITIATIVES AND REFERENDUMS

Should the initiative and citizen referendum process in the Charter be amended to require the date to be included for each signature on a petition and to clarify that all signatures must be dated within the six months prior to the submission of the petition? YES/NO

 

City: A “YES” vote for Question 15 would amend the initiative and citizen referendum process in the Charter to require the person signing to include the date of signing, and to clarify that all signatures on final petitions must be dated within the six months prior to submission to the City Clerk.