The above film clip shows Mayor McClure and City Attorney Bill Hampton speaking at the City Commission meeting of June 12th 2012. A third voice that of City Manager Jay Cravens can be heard on occasion as well. For those with older computers or those lacking a sound card we have provided a transcript as well. Our transcript which is based on discount house camera counter audio is not perfect but suffices if you crank the volume.
Mayor McClure begins the conversation in section of the meeting concerning the City Commission's Goals and Objectives.The topic a recent question in the city survey which asked residents
The City currently has elections for the City commission held annually in May. As a convenience to voters and to reduce cost a proposal to move the City election to May has been discussed. Would you support such a measure ?
What is being asked is much involved than a date change. The move would be irrevocable and require elections to be held in odd years only which would require four year terms of office for City Commissioners. If adopted the Spring election in our City would be a thing of the past. The next election would be November 2013 and commissioners elected then would serve until 2017. The next City Election after that would be 2015 in which commissioners elected would serve until 2019.
City Commission has been less than forthright in providing the consequences that date change would require.
Mayor McClure sites 88% of survey respondents as being in favor of such a date change. She arrives at that number by adding those who strong approve what is presented as a simple date change (67%) with those who have reservations enough to describe their opinion as "somewhat support.(21%). That 88% is further compromised by the fact that only a third of the of the surveys sent were ever returned and so the 88% cited is less than a quarter of the city's residents.
The key factor now however is not whether a May or November election date is more preferable. It is how and by whom the matter will be decided. By ballot by a vote of the city's 3800 residents or as a resolution by the City's five commissioners. Since a change in frequency of voting will impact the balance of power in the city both residents and commissioners will benfit or suffer depending on how and by whom the matter is resolved.
Transcript
Mayor Sarah McClure:There were 88% response in our to move our election to November. Either strongly or (somewhat in favor) were 88% , So I think we have an obligation to discuss this further. .. and this remind me does this have to be done by ballot or by resolution.
Mayor McClure begins the conversation in section of the meeting concerning the City Commission's Goals and Objectives.The topic a recent question in the city survey which asked residents
The City currently has elections for the City commission held annually in May. As a convenience to voters and to reduce cost a proposal to move the City election to May has been discussed. Would you support such a measure ?
What is being asked is much involved than a date change. The move would be irrevocable and require elections to be held in odd years only which would require four year terms of office for City Commissioners. If adopted the Spring election in our City would be a thing of the past. The next election would be November 2013 and commissioners elected then would serve until 2017. The next City Election after that would be 2015 in which commissioners elected would serve until 2019.
City Commission has been less than forthright in providing the consequences that date change would require.
Mayor McClure sites 88% of survey respondents as being in favor of such a date change. She arrives at that number by adding those who strong approve what is presented as a simple date change (67%) with those who have reservations enough to describe their opinion as "somewhat support.(21%). That 88% is further compromised by the fact that only a third of the of the surveys sent were ever returned and so the 88% cited is less than a quarter of the city's residents.
The key factor now however is not whether a May or November election date is more preferable. It is how and by whom the matter will be decided. By ballot by a vote of the city's 3800 residents or as a resolution by the City's five commissioners. Since a change in frequency of voting will impact the balance of power in the city both residents and commissioners will benfit or suffer depending on how and by whom the matter is resolved.
Transcript
Mayor Sarah McClure:There were 88% response in our to move our election to November. Either strongly or (somewhat in favor) were 88% , So I think we have an obligation to discuss this further. .. and this remind me does this have to be done by ballot or by resolution.
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Mayor McClure: Yeah.
City Attorney Hampton: It would not take me long to put something back in front of you.
City Manager Jay Cravens: And it could be done by
resolution.
City Attorney Hampton: By resolution.
Mayor McClure: Right.
City Attorney Hampton: And what we did before , we took people
because we wanted to keep the staggered terms and we did it in such a way that
people who’s terms were going to expire in May.. for example Oh I’ll have to dust it off and
refresh ,my memory but for extending terms of people’s office that expired may were going to be extending
them to the following November in order to get it in the sequential
Mayor McClure: Right Well why don’t we....
City Manager Cravens: Two year terms. You can’t have a staggered
.So if you want to continue to stagger it would have to be a four year terms.
Mayor McClure: Which our residents seem more.. Less comfortable
(with)
City Attorney: That’s what we had before commission a couple
of years ago (in 2010 Proposal) We went to a November Election and a four
year terms so we could stagger 3 in one election and two in another.
Mayor McClure: Well why don’t rather than discussing this issue
tonight..., that is something we need to discuss so if we put this in our goals
and objectives and we will put it on one out next Agenda to discuss more formally where we want
to go on that. That makes sense to everybody ?
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