The citizen committee rewriting Winter Springs' charter returns Thursday to the part of the document that decides how the city is governed, two months after it voted to leave the mayor's role as it is.
The Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 1126 E. State Road 434. It is the committee's fourth meeting, and the agenda calls for continued discussion of Articles I through IV, which cover the city's name, boundaries, powers and governing body. Public input is taken at the start and end of the meeting.
Mayor keeps veto, no regular vote
At its last meeting, Aug. 20, the seven-member committee debated whether the mayor should become a regular voting member of the commission. Under the current charter the mayor votes only to break a tie but can veto ordinances, and a veto can be overridden by four commissioners, City Attorney Anthony Garganese told the committee.
He said vetoes have been used very rarely, according to draft minutes the committee is set to approve Thursday.
Some members said the current setup gives the commission an independent check; others said a voting mayor would leave a clearer public record of where the mayor stands. Mayor Kevin McCann, asked to speak, told the committee the mayor also represents the city on many outside boards and urged members to weigh what that role could lose.
The committee voted 6-1 to keep the existing language, with member Louie Hilal opposed. Vice Chair Eddie Rivera said his vote reflected the mayor's comments and the lack of any public input on the question.
District seats and residency rules still open
Member David Bear then raised a hybrid system that would keep some district-based seats and add one or more at-large seats, so strong candidates who live in the same district could serve together. Members discussed four districts plus one at-large seat, and three plus two, but took no action.
Today all five commissioners must live in separate districts but are elected by voters citywide. Every candidate must have lived in Winter Springs for a year before qualifying, and commission candidates must have lived in their district for six months, according to the charter handout in Thursday's packet.
