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Apopka commission places eight charter amendments on ballot, seeks November if possible
Summary
The Apopka commission approved placing eight charter amendment questions on the municipal ballot, including a switch to a council‑manager government, a name change to 'commission,' term limits and a requirement for pre‑decision public comment; staff was asked to pursue November placement if feasible, otherwise March.
The City Commission of Apopka voted Aug. 20 to place eight proposed charter amendments on the ballot, balancing questions about timing with an effort to give voters a full slate of changes to consider.
City attorney Cliff Shepherd reviewed each question at the meeting’s second reading. “Question 1 is changing from mayor council to council manager form of government,” he said, explaining that switching to a council‑manager model would require a transition period (the staff recommendation allows 120 days to hire a manager if voters approve). Shepherd noted legal limits on ballot language and said shorter titles and summaries are required for ballot questions.
The ballot package includes: changing the city’s form of government from a strong mayor to a council‑manager system; renaming the governing body from “city council” to “city commission” and changing the title “council member” to “commissioner”; clarifying the city clerk’s ministerial role in candidate qualifying; moving the city's regular election date to a March date consistent with local practice (attorney Shepherd pointed out a drafting correction so the ballot title/reference will specify the second Tuesday in March); establishing two‑term limits with a four‑year ineligibility period for the same office; declaring most employees at‑will while reserving contractual exceptions for commission‑approved contracts; specifying that the clerk and city attorney will be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the commission; and restoring a public‑comment period before decision items in the charter.
Mayor and commissioners discussed whether to seek a November special election; staff was directed to ask the supervisor of elections whether the questions can be placed on the November ballot and, if not, to place them on the March ballot. The motion to place all eight items on the ballot passed with the commission’s unanimous vote to proceed and with the caveat that staff check November availability.
Why it matters: The package would change both the structure of Apopka’s executive authority and how residents interact with and hold officials to account. If voters approve a move to a council‑manager form, the mayor’s role would become largely ceremonial and day‑to‑day operations would be managed by a professional city manager after a transition period.
What’s next: Staff will confirm with the supervisor of elections whether the questions can be added to the November ballot; if not, the items will be scheduled for the city’s March election and the ordinance will be brought back for final processing.
