Manatee commission to have a work session on charter governments

Pushed by a citizens campaign to force the county to adopt a charter government, the Manatee County Commission agreed to hold a future work session on the idea.

After two failed motions by Commissioner Robin DiSabatino to form an exploratory committee on charter governments and to return the charter government petitions to county libraries, commissioners unanimously approved having the work session.

“I don’t support their position right now, but I support the freedom of dialogue,” Commissioner Charles Smith said. “I believe the people have a right to express themselves.”

Rosalie Shaffer, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County president, thanked commissioners for agreeing to schedule a work session.

“I think a lot of citizens will be happy that this issue is coming forward,” she said.

Last month, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County had a luncheon titled, “Is Manatee Ready for Charter Government?” By the end of the luncheon, a petition drive was underway underway as residents have started the latest effort for Manatee County to become a charter government.

Charters, according to the Florida Association of Counties, are formal written documents — similar to the federal or state constitutions — that confer powers, duties or privileges on the county. Constitutional experts say charters allow for greater self-government free of state oversight, and give the county electorate greater control over regional affairs, according to the FAC.

It will take having 15 percent of registered Manatee County voters, or about 35,000 people, sign the petition to have the charter government measure move forward. The county commission can also elect to start the initiative.

During Thursday’s Land Use meeting, the charter government discussion started after Barbara Elliott, who is with Stone Soup Community Unity Political Action Committee, which is spearheading the charter government petition effort, asked commissioners to allow the petitions to be distributed at county libraries.

Last month, the County Attorney’s Office issued a memorandum stating that placing the petitions and the yellow boxes labeled “Manatee County Charter Petition is Here!” in the libraries should be prohibited.

“It is obstructive to our rights to not have those petition boxes and petitions in the libraries,” Elliott said Thursday.

Palmer reiterated his office’s position in the memorandum during Thursday’s meeting.

“That is a very, very dangerous precedent in my mind,” Palmer said. “Political activity is political activity. It is a very slippery slope.”

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Manatee commission to have a work session on charter governments."