Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/90018
Sarasota News Leader October 26, 2012 clarification of when a "supermajority" vote is required, appointments to advisory boards, revision of the city clerk's duties, review of contracts by the city attorney, deletion of "un- necessary verbiage" in a couple of places, de- tails on campaign treasurer reporting times, and establishment of a municipal canvassing board for city elections. Yes or no? It also de- letes the requirement for an annual "State of the City" address by the mayor. Now you understand why state constitutional amendments are limited to a single topic. I do not have the patience to go through each of the 17 items, nor, I expect, do you, unless you are a fine details person. The chairman of the charter committee admitted it probably was a mistake to jam all these issues into one ballot question. You may read the enabling or- dinance — 11-4973 — and a copy of the city's charter with all the proposed changes in un- derline-and-strikeout format. Comb through it as finely as you like. At least one of these 17 proposals sneaked under the committee's radar — and the City Commission's, too. It would allow insurance to take the place of a bonding requirement for city charter and senior financial officials. Nobody remembers approving this particular item for the amendment. The charter today requires the city manager, city auditor and clerk, city finance director and the city attorney (if that person is a city employee) all to hold surety bonds for prop- er performance of duties. Neither the char- ter board nor the City Commission was told City Auditor and Clerk Pam Nadalini lis- tens as City Attorney Robert Fournier speaks to the City Commission. Photo by Norman Schimmel that, since her appointment, City Auditor and Clerk Pam Nadalini has been unable to obtain a surety bond. This amendment would relax that requirement and allow her to be covered by insurance. The measure was approved by the charter board and City Commission before The Sara- sota News Leader broke the news Nadalini was not bonded, as required by the charter. Voters who put full faith and credit in the work of the Sarasota City Charter Review Commit- tee will accept the need for these 17 changes in the city charter and vote for the "General Recommendations" amendment. Voters who would like to know more about the details and implications of these 17 differ- ent changes will vote against the amendment, hoping if the changes are important enough, they will return in better form on a subsequent ballot. facebook.com/SarasotaNewsLeader Page 55