Ordinance No. 33-15-20 ORDINANCE NO.33-15-20
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH,
FLORIDA, PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY
CHARTER WHICH WOULD ELECT CITY
COMMISSIONERS FOR SEATS 2, 3, 4 AND 5 BY THEIR
RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS; SUBMITTING THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE ELECTORS OF THE CITY FOR APPROVAL OR
DISAPPROVAL; PROVIDING THE APPEARANCE OF
THE CHARTER AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT;
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Atlantic Beach, Florida, after receiving input from its citizens
and the Charter Review Committee, finds the proposed amendment contained in this Ordinance
should be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Atlantic Beach for consideration; and
WHEREAS, the City of Atlantic Beach appreciates the diligent efforts of the Charter
Review Committee comprised of: Don Wolfson, Mark Tomaski, Mike Borno, Katherine
Carithers, Joan Carver, Sally Clemens, Thomas Goodrich,Judith Leroux and David Vincent.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON
BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH,FLORIDA:
SECTION 1. Charter Amendment Proposed. The City Commission of the City of
Atlantic Beach, Florida hereby proposes the following amendment to the City Charter:
Sec. 5.Number of commissioners; selection;term.
The city commission shall consist of five (5) electors of the City of
Atlantic Beach who have the qualifications as defined in section 6
of this Charter,. Seat 1 shall be elected at large, and seats 2 through
5 shall each be elected by their respective districts, without regard
for any designation of political party affiliation. The seats shall be
known as seats 1 through 5 respectively, and seat 1 shall be
designed as the mayor-commissioner. Seats 2 through 5 shall be
designated as district commissioners, with each commissioner
required to reside within the district from which he or she is
elected. The four (4) districts shall be created using the precinct
lines existing as of November, 2007January 2013, as a beginning
point, shall be established by ordinance, shall be as equal in
population as possible, and to the extent possible shall maintain the
integrity of neighborhoods and communities of interest. The
mayor-commissioner shall be elected for two-year terms and the
terms for seats 2 through 5 shall each be four years. Effective with
the municipal election in October, 1993, anyone elected or
appointed to the office of mayor-commissioner shall not serve
more than four (4) consecutive two-year terms; and any elected or
appointed to commission seats 2 through 5 shall not serve more
than two (2) consecutive four-year terms. Serving any part of a
term shall be considered a full term. Nothing contained herein shall
prevent anyone who has served as a city commissioner from being
appointed or elected to the position of mayor-commissioner and
then serving in that capacity four(4)consecutive two-year terms.
SECTION 2. Submission of Charter Amendment to Public Referendum. This
amendment to the Charter of the City of Atlantic Beach, Florida shall be submitted to public
referendum at the next general election held in the City of Atlantic Beach, Florida for approval
or disapproval by the qualified electors of the City.
SECTION 3. Appearance of the Charter Amendment on the Ballot. The ballot title to
be used in said election shall be as follows: "CHANGE IN COMMISSIONER ELECTIONS
FROM AT-LARGE VOTING TO DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE VOTING." The
explanatory statement shall be as follows: "Commission seats 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be elected only
by the electors in the respective districts instead of the entire electors of the City of Atlantic
Beach." Below the explanatory statement shall appear the following question:
Shall the above described Charter amendment be adopted?
YES NO
SECTION 4. Effective Date. This amendment to the Charter of the City of Atlantic
Beach shall become effective upon approval by the electors of the City and shall be filed with the
Florida Department of State as required by law.
Ordinance No. 33-15-20 Page 2 of 3
PASSED by the City Commission on first reading this 27 day of April, 2015.
PASSED with a quorum present and voting, by the City Commission this //1/4 day of
/04,1/ , 2015.
CAROLYN i ODS,
Mayor, Presiding Officer
ATTEST:
DONNA L. BARTLE,
City Clerk
Approved to form and correctness:
RICHARD KOMANDO,
City Attorney
Ordinance No. 33-15-20 Page 3 of 3