Charter Review Board votes to remain an elected body

An impressive crowd turned out for a special meeting of the Charter Review Board last night. Fifty people came to oppose a proposal that would have made the board an appointed body.  

Charter Review Board members have been elected by the public since the state of Florida allowed counties to adopt governing charters. Of Florida’s 20 charter counties only Sarasota’s Charter Review Board is elected. The other 19 counties rely on an internal appointment process.

The proposal was spearheaded by former Sarasota GOP Chairman Bob Waechter and supported by Charter Review Board member Cathy Layton. Layton argued that Sarasota County should consider appointing members of the board as opposed to the electing based on the longevity of Florida’s other charter review boards.

“...Since the inception of Florida Charter Counties, none of the 20 Charter Counties, with the sole exception of Sarasota County, are convened by an elective process,” Layton’s letter said. “That this remains unchanged since the initial research that was filed with the Clerk in 1999 is compelling evidence that the appointed method of amending County Charters works in favor of the citizens of these respective counties.”

However audience members at last night’s meeting were not convinced.

All in all, 14 people spoke against the proposal, many of which said they valued the Charter Review Board as an elected body because of the perceived check it has over the County Commission.

“I have seen a number of Sarasota County Commissions over the years and the thing I would like to say to you tonight is you are the check and balance.” Sarasota resident John Minder said. “You are the ones who have kept our government in order and have made all the right decisions.”

Despite talk of postponing the vote to a later meeting due what some commissioners saw as a last minute submission of pertinent documents to the record, the board unanimously decide to maintain the board’s status as an elected body.

“If it’s not broken do not fix it,” Charter Review Board member Anthony Sawyer said during the board’s discussion. “The Charter Review Board is not broken so it does not need to be fixed.”