Longboat considers 3-year commission terms

In an effort to bring more stability to the Longboat Town Commission, commissioners asked the town manager at their meeting Monday to tweak a proposal that would establish three-year commission terms beginning in March 2020.

Commissioners currently serve two-year terms, which doesn’t give them a lot of time to settle into their positions, said Town Clerk Trish Shinkle. 

“Right now, they are basically running for office every other year,” she said.

Longboat’s charter is reviewed by the Charter Review Committee every 10 years. During its review last year, the committee suggested commission terms be extended to three years. With the two-year terms, a commissioner is allowed to run for re-election two more times before he or she has to sit out a full two-year term.

“The problem that we have had in the past is it takes almost a year to learn everything,” said Commissioner Randy Clair. “By the time you do learn, your term is two-thirds over and you’re going to have to run for re-election.”

Under the proposal, the commission will remain a seven-person board. Two commissioners will be elected at-large, while five will be elected from district in which they reside. 

Until the March 2020 general election, no commissioner will be elected for more than three years.

As the proposal stands, once the March 2020 election rolls around, one commissioner at-large and commissioners from odd-numbered districts will run for a three-year term. The following year, commissioners representing even-numbered districts and an at-large commissioner will be up for election for a three-year term.

What is proposed to remain in place are the existing term limits. A commissioner can’t hold office for more than six consecutive years, regardless of term length, the town charter states.

Commissioner Ken Schneier, the newest member of the commission, said it makes sense to add another year to the term.

“I have been on the job six months and am still learning the ropes,” he said. “There are 15 to 20 things in this town that you need to be conversant in. At the end of two years, you’re just beginning to know what you need to know to be effective.”

Commissioner Ed Zunz agreed.

“Three years is a reasonable period of time,” Zunz said. “Two years goes by too quickly.”

In an effort to bring more stability and knowledge to the Longboat Town Commission, commissioners asked the town manager at their workshop meeting Monday to tweak a proposal that would establish three-year commission terms beginning in March 2020.

Commissioners currently serve two-year terms, which doesn't give them a lot of time to settle into their positions, said Town Clerk Trish Shinkle. “Right now, they are basically running for office every other year,” she said.

Every 10 years, Longboat’s charter is reviewed by the Charter Review Committee. During its review last year, the committee suggested that commission terms be extended to three years. With the current two-year terms, a commissioner is allowed to run for re-election two more times before he or she has to sit out a full two-year term.

“The problem that we have had in the past, is it takes almost a year to learn everything,” said Commissioner Randy Clair. “By the time you do learn, your term is two-thirds over and you’re going to have to run for re-election again.”

Under the proposal, the commission — who are not paid — will remain a seven-person board. Two commissioners will be elected at large, while five will be elected from district in which they reside. Only the term length would be different.  

The term change will be segued in. Until the March 2020 general election, no commissioner will be elected for more than three years.

As the current proposal stands, once the March 2020 election rolls around, one commissioner at large and commissioners from odd-numbered districts will run for a three-term. The following year, commissioners representing even-numbered districts, as well as an at-large commissioner will be up for election for a three-year term.

What is proposed to remain in place are the existing term limits. A commissioner can’t hold office for more than six consecutive years, regardless of term length, the town charter said.

Ken Schneier, the newest member of the commission, said it makes sense to add another year to the term.

“I have been on the job six months and am still learning the ropes,” he said. “I recently spent three days in Clearwater at a seminar on beach nourishment. There are 15 to 20 things in this town that you need to be conversant in. At the end of two years, you’re just beginning to know what you need to know to be effective.”

Commissioner Ed Zunz agreed.

“Three years is a reasonable period of time,” Zunz said. “Two years goes by too quickly.”