Charter Review Board to meet after rally

The county's Charter Review Board(CRB) will meet in a special session on Wednesday, Sept. 28th, at 6 pm at the County Admin building on Ringling Blvd.

At the meeting, the Board will consider whether to go forward with Bob Waechter's proposal that the Charter Review Board set in motion a referendum that would transform the board from an elected to an appointed body. That is, from an empowered Board of citizens chosen by the voters to grapple with the constitution of Sarasota County, to a group of appointees selected by sitting County Commissioners, funded and meeting at the will of the Commissioners.

The special meeting agenda is here. Some background here and here.

Bob Waechter

Two more CRB-related items:

• The public will not have a chance to speak at the special session on Wednesday, but it can express itself at 5 pm, when a slate of candidates for the Board will hold a rally outside the Administration Building, on Ringling Blvd.

• In the interest of acquainting the public with the CRB, its responsibilities and recent key issues, all candidates in the November race for the CRB have been sent 6 questions. Their answers will be posted to this blog soon after they have all had time to respond.

The next public meeting of the CRB is set for the same location - the County Administration building on Ringling - on October 12th at 6 pm. The public will have the right to speak at that meeting.

CRB votes to consider becoming an appointed board

Sarasota County's Charter Review Board by a vote of 6-2 Wednesday decided to call a special meeting of the entire Board to consider Bob Waechter's proposal to transform it from an elected to an appointed entity that would meet only on an "as-needed basis."

Two CRB members were not present. A couple of those in attendance made it clear that their vote to proceed to committee consideration was no indication that they were in favor of the proposal, which was presented briefly and without detail by Waechter before the vote.

Charter Review Board

Prior to Waechter's presentation, 15 people spoke during the "Open to the Public" segment of the meeting. Fourteen spoke against the proposal, some in very strong terms, arguing that a move from elected to appointed status would open the Board to cronyism and influence peddling.  Just one speaker, former board member Cathy L. Layton, spoke in its favor.

The CRB plans to call a special session well in advance of its next regular session in October. That meeting will be open to the public. No date has yet been announced.

Herald Tribune story here.

Meeting link.