Charter government for Manatee? Workshop will explore the possibility

Pushed by a citizens’ campaign to force the county to adopt a charter government, the Manatee County Commission will host a workshop on the possibility this week.

From 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, commissioners will have a work session on charter governments at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, One Haben Blvd., Palmetto. Originally scheduled to take place in the center’s Longboat Key room, the meeting was moved to half of Center Hall to accommodate a larger crowd.

Virginia Delegal, executive director of the Florida Association of Counties, will deliver a presentation on charter governments and how they differ fromn the traditional county government.

“I think a lot of citizens will be happy that this issue is coming forward,” Rosalie Shaffer, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County, said in April when the commission agreed to schedule the work session.

In March, 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 was underway as residents 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.

Since 1968, 20 Florida counties, which are home to more than 75 percent of the state’s population, have adopted a charter government.

“We hear concerns about potential problems, and yes, mistakes can be made, but the advantage is that if a particular change doesn’t work out well, it can simply be changed back again,” Shaffer said in a news release about the upcoming meeting. “But the real telling point about charter is shown by its results: None of the counties that have made this change have ever gone back to the previous form of government. They like the freedom that charter provides.”

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.

In a letter to the county commission dated May 30, the Federation of Manatee County Community Associations Inc. calls on the commission to form an exploratory committee, which should then “write a proposed charter to submit to the public for review,” the letter states.

“Then it should be placed on a referendum, at a proper time, to be voted on,” the letter states. “At the pace Manatee County is growing, the citizens of the county rightfully feel the need to have more of a say, on how Manatee continues to thrive, grow and protect the quality of life issues that we all cherish. This recommendation will allow our commissioners to expedite and eliminate the need to obtain approximately 35,000 signed petitions by our residents to force this recommendation.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2017 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Charter government for Manatee? Workshop will explore the possibility."