Bookmark and Share Contact Palm Beach Business.com by phone: 561 450-8258. By email.

 

Delray commissioners schedule meeting on term changes

By Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — Delray Beach city commissioners are moving ahead on a package of reforms that would extend terms in office for elected officials and also extend the total number of years an official may serve before being “termed out.”

They’ve scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday evening at 6 to consider first reading of the ordinance that would put the proposed changes before city voters for their consideration at the March 13 city election. If approved by voters, the changes would go into effect immediately.

Final reading would take place during the January 17 regular commission meeting, just ahead of a January 18 deadline to get the measure on the March ballot.

The proposed changes include:

— Extending the length of a term in office for the mayor and commissioners to three years from the present two.

— Allowing the mayor and commissioners to serve three consecutive three-year terms in office before becoming term limited, or ineligible to seek reelection.

— Requiring appointees to the commission to stand for election within 14 months of taking office. It also provides that a special election would be held if a regular municipal election is not scheduled to occur during that time.

The changes would allow the city to eliminate one municipal election every three years at a savings of about $40,000. Its proponents on the commission say the change to term limits would allow city officials to take leadership positions in various state and local government associations such as the Municipal League.

Opponents have said the changes are sweeping enough that they should have come through the charter review process rather than through the commission. Others argued that while the change in term length is a good idea, the change in term limits is not.

If approved Tuesday, commissioners will hold a public hearing on the change on Jan. 17.

The changes, if approved by voters, would not affect Mayor Woodie McDuffie, who will step down in 2013 because of term limits.

Also Tuesday, commissioners will hold a “workshop” meeting to discuss art in public places and virtual kiosks in the city.

 

ad for delray networking stars

 

coming soon the daily bulletin

Keep up with YOUR community. Receive our FREE email newsletters!
For Email Marketing you can trust

Follow us on TwitterPalm Beach Business.com on LinkedIn
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK


ad for palm beach business.com
Openings at $75K to $500K+

Hot Offers
CompUSA Best sellers
DELRAY'S ONLINE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER — PALM BEACH BUSINESS.COM
   
palm beach business.com
JANUARY 9, 2012 click to go home
 
         
click to go back to the top
Delray's Online Business and Community Newspaper