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Sarasota News Leader October 19, 2012 PETITION SUNSET PROPOSED AGAIN In what would prove her final proposal, re- tiring Chairwoman Layton brought forward an idea she has been pushing unsuccessfully for years. Even when it survived the tortuous vetting process of her own committee, voters did not approve it. Layton wants to limit the time signatures on a charter-change petition remain valid. Layton passed the gavel on Oct. 17 to make her three-minute pitch. "The charter isn't something one amends as a hobby," she said. "That's what the petition process is all about." She proposed signatures on a petition be valid for three years. "It's déjà vu all over again. I made this propos- al in 2010," she said. "Of 17 county charters [in Florida], only two have no sunset provision." Bodecker pointed to the upcoming Nov. 6 bal- lot. "Look at all the referenda we'll be voting on next month. When [voters] get to the bal- lot, it may be a snap decision, and not a lot of thought has gone into that decision," he said. "It should be hard to amend the charter." A number of citizens spoke in opposition to the proposal. "For the current voting popula- tion, you need 14,380 signatures. That's a big hurdle," said Paul Cajka. "We should give peo- ple the time they need. This is an anti-citizen thing." Page 41 Lourdes Ramirez, president of the Saraso- ta County Council of Neighborhood Associ- ations, said, "This is a solution that doesn't have a problem. I urge you not to consider this anti-citizen amendment." Waechter disagreed. "This is housekeeping, good housekeeping. Three years is not a bur- den," he said. "Send it to committee. Let the newly constituted board chew on it. Then see what happens." Bodecker made a motion to send Layton's proposal to the special committee for review. Layton seconded the motion. The vote was 4-2 to send it to committee, with board members Nisco and Fields in opposition. Fields then moved to delay establishing a reconstituted special committee until the Charter Board's next meeting, when five new people will be sworn into office. The motion passed unanimously. The board's next meeting is Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. in the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. Full disclosure: Stan Zimmerman was elected to the Sarasota County Charter Review Board in 1986. Press Releases & News Tips News@SarasotaNewsLeader.com