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Charter Revision Board reviews outreach plan, frames survey on possible government changes
Summary
The Fort Lauderdale Charter Revision Board reviewed draft outreach text and a proposed resident survey to gather public input on possible charter amendments — including an alternate form of government, city manager residency, staggered elections and public‑land rules — and asked staff to revise language and bring back proposed survey questions.
Ashley (Staff member) presented a draft communications plan and sample webpage text intended to inform residents about potential charter amendments and gather public input.
The board spent substantial time editing wording and tone to avoid implying that changes were formally proposed. Ashley said, “Your city, your charter, your vote,” and explained that the board’s role was to collect resident feedback on items the City Commission had asked the Charter Revision Board to review.
The draft focused on four topics the board will test with residents: an alternate form of government (for example, shifting from the current council–manager system to a strong‑mayor model), city manager residency requirements, whether commissioner elections should be staggered, and processes for sale or disposition of public land. Paul (Board member) and others asked staff to avoid wording that suggested a specific proposal had already been made and recommended phrasing such as “alternate form of government” or “assessing” rather than “proposed.”
Board members debated survey design. Jim Conkannon urged the survey to ask for respondents’ commission district and neighborhood so the board could track geographic response patterns. Several members warned against questions that might “pigeonhole” respondents or create the impression a change was imminent. Ashley said the team could present multiple formats — short multiple‑choice options with an “Other” field and an open‑ended text box — and include links or pop‑ups that explain technical terms so respondents can make informed choices.
Chair Wise (Chair) and other members emphasized brevity to combat survey fatigue and suggested the board present options for members to choose from at the next meeting. Members asked staff to draft several alternate question sets and return with a revised communications page and survey mockups for approval.
No formal vote on survey questions was taken. The board asked staff to revise the draft language — including replacing words like “proposed” with “alternate” or “example” where appropriate — and to circulate a new copy of the outreach text and sample survey before the next meeting.
