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Lynn Haven commission forwards three charter amendments for voter consideration after lengthy debate
Summary
The Lynn Haven City Commission discussed three proposed charter amendments — creating a city clerk office, requiring the city manager to reside in Bay County, and adding seven transparency requirements for non ad valorem assessments — and directed staff to revise language before a first-reading return ahead of an August referendum timeline.
The Lynn Haven City Commission spent most of its meeting on three proposed charter amendments from the Charter Review Committee, debating how much authority to vest in elected officials versus managers and whether key changes should be settled by voters.
Mayor Lowry said the package must go to referendum for charter changes to take effect and that the commission is aiming for an August 18 ballot. "It actually has to go by referendum before Lynnhaven voters, which we are looking to do on August 18," the mayor said.
Commissioner Jamie Wark presented an organizational chart showing how a city clerk — possibly combined with treasurer duties — would reassign finance and administrative functions. Wark said placing a clerk under the commission would create additional checks and balances: "By having the city clerk under the commission with treasurer duties, any revenue or expenses that are done would have to go through them, which would be a separate entity." (Commissioner Wark)
Not all commissioners agreed on the scope of appointments subject to confirmation. Some warned that requiring commission confirmation for all department heads would politicize operational roles. "What I'm worried about is when it comes to us, it politicizes the position," one commissioner said, urging restraint on expanding confirmations.
The second proposal would require the city manager to establish permanent residency in Bay County within 12 months of appointment. Residents who testified were split. "I want to know that the person running the city... loves the city and wants to live in the city that he's running," said resident Bashir, arguing residency reflects commitment. Another resident, Hodges, said living outside city limits does not prevent someone from caring for the community and pointed to examples of effective managers who live elsewhere.
The third proposal would require voter approval for non ad valorem assessments and set a seven-point transparency standard the city must provide before proposing assessments: defined start and end dates; a methodology description; estimated cost per property; total project cost; specific use-of-funds language; a limit on annual increases; and oversight and compliance requirements. Chairman Corey Langford, who led the Charter Review Committee, framed the package as a limitation of elected officials’ future authority: "The Charter is the people's document," he said.
Commissioners debated whether caps on annual increases and emergency exceptions should be written into the charter or handled by ordinance. City Attorney Jackson advised the commission that the charter can include notice or voter-approval requirements but cautioned that language could bind future commissions and should be crafted carefully.
The commission directed the city attorney and city manager to redline the draft ordinance based on feedback and to return at the next meeting for first-reading consideration. No final votes were taken on items 15–17 at this session.
