The Alachua County 2020 Charter Review Commission (CRC) will meet on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. in the Jack Durrance Auditorium (room 209), located on the second floor of the Alachua County Administration Building (12 S.E. 1st Street, downtown Gainesville). The public is encouraged to attend and comment on ideas proposed as Charter Amendments.
Those wanting to speak on the submitted proposals outlined below are encouraged to attend this meeting. The CRC will be discussing whether items should be advanced or eliminated. The CRC will discuss as many items as time permits. Items not discussed will be continued to a following meeting.
The meeting agenda includes:
1. CRC Discussion of three advanced proposals, subject of County Commission meeting on March 3, 2020: 1 Land use; 37 Rights of Nature; 41 Santa Fe River Bill of Rights
2. Review submitted Proposals for advancement or elimination
52 - Include Ranked Choice Voting (Instant Run-off) as soon as the State approves the program
53 - Increase the number of County Commissioners from five to six with one being elected at-large, and five each representing their respective districts.
62 - Expand County Commission to seven members, with five elected by voters in their respective districts (single-member); and two elected on a countywide basis (at-large). Remove unconstitutional language that requires candidates reside in their district at time of qualifying, and replace with language that requires candidates to reside in their respective districts at the time of election.
54 - Decrease the Commission to one member (at-large)
55 – Recall any member of the Board of County Commissioners who commit egregious acts or acts of ill repute may be removed from office by the electors of the County.
56 - Government employment of previous elected officials: prohibit Alachua County employment within one year of end of previous term.
57 - Prorate taxes based on cost: Tax bills should be prorated based on costs for provision of County services to individual citizens. Those who live an extended distance from urban services, in a less densely populated area, should pay a higher rate than those who cost less due to higher densities and a closer location to service centers.
3. Member Comments
In 1986, the electorate established a home rule charter for Alachua County. This gave the County the full local home rule benefits afforded by the Constitution of the State of Florida. Every ten years, the CRC reviews the Charter and proposes amendments or revisions for placement on the general election ballot, which in the case of this CRC would be the November 2020 ballot.
The members of the 2020 CRC are Penny Wheat (Chair), Joe Little (Vice-Chair), Douglas Bernal, K. Richard Blount, Scott Camil, James Ingle, Nicholas Klein, Pradeep Kumar, Erroll “Stanley” Richardson, Tamara Robbins, James Thompson, and Kristen Young.
The public is encouraged to attend the meeting. The meeting will be available to view on Cox Cable Channel 12,
Facebook Live, and the County’s
Video on Demand website.