Charter commission directs draft ballot language to tie commissioner pay to state formula at 70%
Summary
The Clay County Charter Review Commission voted to ask counsel to draft ballot language that would remove the charter's fixed $37,000 salary and tie commissioner pay to 70% of the Florida state statute; the motion passed on a roll-call vote, 11-4.
The Clay County Charter Review Commission voted to ask its attorney to prepare ballot language that would remove the charter's fixed $37,000 county commissioner salary and instead tie pay to 70% of the Florida statute that sets commissioner compensation. The motion to revise the draft verbiage carried on a roll-call vote, 11 yays to 4 nays.
The commission's attorney, Glenn Taylor, read the draft amendment the group had been reviewing: "Shall the Clay County Charter be amended to remove the charter specified county commissioner salary of $37,000, remove the requirement that county commissioner salary changes must be approved by a majority of electors in a general election, and provide the county commissioner salaries shall be the same as those set by general law for the county commissioners of non-charter counties and shall not be lowered during the term of office." Members discussed whether to include an explicit dollar figure in parentheses and whether to allow a cost-of-living or annual adjustment.
Rhonda Jett moved that the committee revise the verbiage to use 70% of the state statute (with the drafter to include the dollar amount in parentheses); the motion was seconded and amended during discussion. After debate about transparency and whether the change would be sellable to voters, the commission voted to send the revised language back to counsel for written drafting ahead of the February meeting.
Supporters argued the current $37,000 figure is outdated and punitive, leaving commissioners undercompensated as county responsibilities and population grow. Opponents said previous ballot measures failed repeatedly, warned the change could appear as an attempt to "pull something over on the voters," and urged robust public education before placing the amendment on a ballot.
The Chair assigned Glenn Taylor to provide the revised, written ballot language at the CRC's next meeting so members can review the exact wording and any dollar amount the 70% formula produces. The motion passed on the record by voice and roll call: 11 in favor, 4 opposed.
