The Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee (CCRC) met on Thursday, November 16th, for the second time and began advancing ideas about possible amendments to the county charter.
Under the CCRC process, ideas proposed by any of the 14 committee members that receive four votes of support are submitted to county staff for more analysis and returned to the CCRC for further consideration.
Not surprisingly, proposed amendments addressing the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), ethics and consolidation – issues which have all have been in the local news recently – were put up for consideration by several members.
Gordon Thames, a local developer of apartment communities, proposed that CRA investments of public monies be limited to public infrastructure and that the CRA operate under a competitive procurement process.
Thames argued that the current CRA process acts like a bank for some developers and the approach is not consistent with the original intent of the governmental entities.
Thames acknowledged his idea would set a higher standard for CRA’s than what is currently in state law.
The idea moved forward with a unanimous vote.
Another idea that moved forward with unanimous support was Neil Fleckenstein’s proposal of placing the county’s code of ethics in the charter.
An idea addressing consolidation failed to move forward.
Other ideas that received support and will come back to the CCRC after analysis, included the possibility of making some elected positions appointed, changing the school superintendent election to non-partisan, changing the current maximum campaign donation of $250 to a higher level, adding an at-large county commissioner, and changing the way district county commissioners are elected.
The CCRC has three more meetings before the end of the year and will continue to consider possible amendments put forth by committee members.
The next meeting is scheduled for November 30, 2017 at 11:30. All meetings are held in the Leon County Commissioner Chambers 5th Floor Leon County Courthouse, 301 South Monroe Street.
CCRC INFORMATION
The county charter is a local “home rule constitution” approved by the local electorate, which specifies the structure, organization, and authority of county government.
The Board of County Commissioners is required by the Charter to appoint a CCRC every eight years, 12 months prior to the general election.
The Citizen Charter Review Committee is charged with reviewing the County’s Home Rule Charter and proposing any amendments or revisions for consideration by the Board for placement on the 2018 general election ballot.
Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee Addresses CRA’s & Ethics added by Staff on
View all posts by Staff →
Seems to be a conflict of interest that a CRCC member is an aide to the Chairman of the BOCC considering:
– most items that move forward would expand the reach of the BOCC.
– she is leading the charge trying (now and in 2010) to bring other elected offices under the BOCC.
– Her inclusion on the 2010 CRCC was questioned and was brushed aside. Fine for County employees; not OK for BOCC staff IMO.
With all the attention on ethics, the CRCC has a massive conflict of interest right under their nose. BOCC staff should not be on this commission. Too much to gain.
I agree, Snidely – I would like to see more clear, direct talk about the rampant corruption in our city officials (and to a lesser degree but definitely there) our county government. No one (except TR reports) ever seems to stand up, put their fist on the table, and say loudly what’s REALLY wrong here, followed by some very strict rule proposals for elected officials and removal-from-office (and indictment, where necessary) procedures for breaking those rules.
I’m not criticizing the CCRC’s efforts – ethics rules in the county charter and more restrictions on CRA spending are good ideas, but let’s also clearly state what our local problem actually is. And that problem is CORRUPTION, system-wide and culturally embedded in Tallahassee’s government.
I must correct myself: I said only TR Reports has stood up and called out the COT corruption. I completely forgot to mention Dr. Erwin Jackson and his extensive efforts to expose the corruption of our COT officials. My apologies to you, Dr. Jackson, and thank you for all you’ve done over the years in trying to reveal what’s actually going on at City Hall.
Kind of getting the feeling from the article that these folks just want to dance around the graft and corruption issues by only offering up recommendations that may look good on paper to a government considering CRAs for the first time.
I would trust them more to become a part of the solution if they would speak directly about the graft and corruption and make specific recommendations on how future elected and appointed officials will be kept on such a short leash there can not possibly be any more graft and corruption.
I do like the fact that they seem to see the Chamber’s recent digging up the subject of consolidation as nothing positive and just a typical leftist spin – pivot – diversion to occupy the weak minded public with a contentious consolidation fight so the graft and corruption can continue on unabated under the surface.
The County understands the importance of ethical behavior and will hopefully support this proposal. Great job.
Where’s the oversight for Leon County Schools? I mean come on we have a superintendent that dated a teacher he supervised, covered it up, we have board members dating employees, associate superintendents who are running businesses during the day and posting on Facebook about non school issues using school board paid for cell phones, we heard about voter intimidation from at least one school adminstrator, 5 appointed associate superintendent without an interview, the elementary director appointed without an interview, people who have been in DROP and out of DROP rehired because they are friends of the superintendent and no one looked into it. Let’s not even discuss the fact that the current superintendent fabricated a notebook when he had no firsthand knowledge of any wrongdoing and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.
Where is the recommendation for term limits???
Can’t this come as a Citizen Initiative? Why wait for the CCRC to (not)make the recommendation… Go fill out the forms and start a petition drive to get this put on the ballot.