04-16-2019 Charter Review City of Clermont
Charter Review Committee
April 16,2019
The Charter Review Committee met on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Chairman SanFratello called the meeting to order at 6:30pm with the following members present: Cuqui
Whitehead, Larry Lenon,Jim Purvis, and Stan Melnick. Other City officials present were: City Manager
Gray,City Attorney Mantzaris,and City Clerk Howe.
Charter Review Committee Public Hearing
City Manager Gray thanked the public for coming and reviewed the purpose of the Charter as well as the
creation of the Charter Review Committee. The City Council can accept the changes proposed by the
Charter Review Committee, decide to make no changes to the Charter, or make their own changes to the
Charter. The Charter Review Committee reviewed the entire Charter and opened up the opportunity for
the public to provide their input on the suggested changes. The next Charter Review Committee Meeting
is next week on April 23,2019 at 10:00am in the Council Chambers.
Chairman SanFratello introduced the Charter Review Committee members and the staff present.
City Manager Gray stated City Clerk Howe will provide an overview of the City and the Committee.
Chairman SanFratello will present the Charter Review Committee's suggested recommendations.
City Clerk Howe reviewed the purpose of the public hearing, the purpose of the Charter Review
Committee, the outline of the Charter Review Committee timeline, the City of Clermont overview, the
City's organization chart,and the services provided by the City.
Chairman SanFratello stated the Committee found six areas to change after reviewing the entire charter.
Chairman SanFratello reviewed the Charter's language and the Committee's proposed suggestions for the
following areas: residency requirements, terms of office, term limits, districts, vacancy, and the Mayor's
seat. No formal decision has been made on any suggested changes by the Committee. The Committee
discussed the possibility of including language if term limits were implemented which would allow for
Council Members who have reached the term limit to take a year off and then run again. The Committee
has looked at the possibility of no districts, local districts, at-large districts, or a combination of districts.
Local districts can be set up to limit the voting for each candidate to their respective district or to require
the candidates to live in their respective district but allow the entire City to vote for each district. A
combination of districts has been discussed to include three local districts and two at-large districts or four
local districts and one at-large district. The districts will also affect the Mayor's seat. If the Committee
decides to suggest for the Mayor to be elected by the Council, then the Committee would also propose an
additional change to allow flexibility in case one member would not want to be the Mayor.
Libby Hanna, 1251 Fran Mar Court, expressed support for districts due to the City's rapid growth. The
current system of five at-large seats may not best represent the voters of Clermont. Ms. Hanna reviewed
precinct information from the last election as it relates to percentages of votes from the different
precincts.
Chairman SanFratello inquired how to configure districts. City Attorney Mantzaris replied districts are
typically based on general population and not voter population. The final decision would be made by the
City Council.
Chairman SanFratello inquired about compact and contiguous districts. City Attorney Mantzaris stated
districts at the state level are different from the city level as the state level is geared towards preserving
the votes instead of providing fairness of votes. With city districts, there is not much room for
gerrymandering as opposed to the state level.
Robert Olsen, 1290 Diane Place, expressed opposition to residency requirements but expressed support
for districting, increasing terms to four years, setting term limits of eight years and for the Mayoral
candidates to be Council Members who have served a term on the City Council but for the public to vote
for them at large.
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City of Clermont
Charter Review Committee
April 16,2019
Charlene Forth, 939 W. Desoto Street, expressed support for terms and residency requirements to remain
the same, increasing term limits to a maximum of two two-year terms, and keeping the Mayor elected at
large. Mrs. Forth suggested if districts are implemented to allow candidates to choose which district they
run for.
Chairman SanFratello remarked the City may get more candidates interested in the Council if the Mayor's
seat rotated.
Michelle Pines, 550 East Avenue, expressed support for two-year terms, the creation of districts with
three local and two at-large, setting term limits of four two-year terms, and the establishment of a
residency requirement of one year.
Committee Member Whitehead explained the reasoning for her initial suggestion of residency
requirement and expressed concern for in-active residents being elected to the City Council.
Ebo Entsuah, 861 Sky Ridge Road, expressed support for residency requirement due to rapid growth of
the City, for the terms to remain the same, establishing a four two-year term limit, creating districts with
three local districts and two at-large districts, and having the Mayor be decided by which at-large seat
received the most votes.
Greg Ammon, 550 East Avenue, expressed support for creating four local districts and one at-large
district,for the Mayor to be elected at-large,and establishing a four two-year term limit.
Sam Durrence, 2466 Holly Berry Circle, expressed support for a residency requirement of two years, to
keep the terms the same, establishing a four two-year term limit with an option for the Council Members
to return after a set time off,to keep the vacancy language the same,and for Council to choose the Mayor.
Mr. Durrence expressed no preference on the possibility of creation of districts.
Marion Ringwood, 1808 Nature Cove Lane, expressed support for a two-year minimum for a residency
requirement,establishing term limits of four two-year terms,establishing districts and having the Mayor's
seat rotate amongst the Council with having each Council Member taking on the responsibility of
attending events as the Mayor if they choose to be the Mayor.
Committee Member Whitehead expressed concerns with districts cutting off residents from other Council
Members due to the Council Members not living in their area.
Committee Member Purvis expressed concerns with districts having different availability to their Council
Members and being cut off from other Council Members.
Chairman SanFratello inquired about districts changing dependent upon the census. City Attorney
Mantzaris stated the districts would have to be reapportioned based on the census. The City could hire
consultants to do the initial districting and updates. City Manager Gray stated it would be up to the City
Council how they would like to handle the situation.
Vance Yokum, Tavares, expressed support for a residency requirement of two years as well as
establishment of districts and term limits. Mr. Yokum expressed concern regarding the vetting of
campaign reports. City Attorney Mantzaris replied the State of Florida election laws govern the vetting of
campaign reports.
Charlene Forth, 939 W. Desoto Street, clarified her support of districts is contingent on the Council
Members from each district being available to residents who are not within their district.
City Manager Gray stated the next Charter Review Committee meeting will be at 10:00am on April 23,
2019. Everyone in the public is welcome to attend. The Committee will be deliberating on the comments
provided by the public at tonight's meeting.
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City of Clermont
Charter Review Committee
April 16,2019
City Clerk Howe and City Manager Gray will summarize the comments from tonight's meeting and
provide them to the Committee at the next meeting. The ordinance for ballot language will be brought to
the City Council in May.
Committee Member Purvis inquired about the form of the Committee's recommendation. City Manager
Gray recommended for the Committee to give a written recommendation to the Council then during the
May Council Meeting the Council will vote on ballot language in an Ordinance format.
Committee Member Purvis inquired about the timeline of the ballot language. City Attorney Mantzaris
stated, depending on what happens at the next Charter Review Committee meeting, the ballot language
can be quickly drafted.
City Manager Gray stated the Council could decide to move the Charter suggestions to a different year if
they would like more time to review the suggested changes.
Chairman SanFratello inquired if the Committee could bring all six subjects to the Council's attention and
ask for them to choose the three subjects the Council believes to be the highest priority. City Attorney
Mantzaris stated that would be possible but recommended the Committee provide the Council with a final
definitive recommendation.
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City of Clermont
Charter Review Committee
April 16,2019
Adjourn: With no further business,the meeting adjourned at 8:05 pm.
APPROVED:
Ray SanFr tello,Charter Review Committee Chairman
ATTEST:
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Tracy Ackroyd we,City Clerk
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