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Redington Shores board to send Charter Review revisions to ordinance after committee report
Summary
The town attorney presented Charter Review Committee recommendations and will draft an ordinance for a ballot measure; commissioners expressed concern about proposed borrowing and tax bond language and asked for an option on government-form changes rather than an outright switch.
The Town of Redington Shores Board of Commissioners reviewed recommendations from its Charter Review Committee on July 31 and asked the town attorney to prepare an ordinance to carry any accepted changes to a ballot.
Town Attorney Robert Eschenfelder told the board the committee finished its work on schedule and that the next step is for the town to present an ordinance containing the acceptable changes for voter consideration. "The Committee did a good job and stayed on schedule," Eschenfelder said.
Commissioner Tom Kapper praised the committee's work. Commissioner CJ Hoyt asked that the board reconsider the committee's proposed language regarding a change in the form of government and said feedback from some residents suggested offering an option rather than an immediate switch. "The only thing that I would ask is that we reconsider what Attorney Eschenfelder had proposed by giving an option for the change in government," Hoyt said, arguing an option could ease resident concerns about a straight change.
Mayor Lisa Hendrickson raised concerns with proposed Charter language on borrowing (section C-21-F) and on tax revenue bonds (section C-22), saying the Florida Constitution and existing local guidelines already constrain those powers; the board reached a consensus recommendation to deny the proposals related to those two sections. Attorney Eschenfelder noted statutory terms and standard definitions would apply to other sections and suggested procedural clarifications be included in the Commissioners Policy & Procedures manual where appropriate.
Resident Jennie Blackburn spoke during public comment in favor of trying an administrator model before committing to a permanent change: she praised Administrator Mike McGlothlin and said offering an administrator option would be beneficial. Eschenfelder will draft the ordinance for consideration at the board's next regular meeting on Aug. 14.
The board did not vote on final language at the workshop; the next formal step is the attorney-prepared ordinance to be placed on the Aug. 14 regular meeting agenda for possible approval and subsequent placement on a ballot.
