Bradenton City Council members are trying to pull off a power grab | Letter to the editor

A majority of Bradenton City Council is in the middle of an attempted power grab.

For the last few months, they’ve been working on an ordinance to “update the city charter.”

If adopted, this ordinance will go to the November ballot.

An unknowing electorate will probably approve, according to the attorney hired by council to craft the language.

When passed, authority to run the city will shift dramatically to the council.

The mayor’s office will be neutered.

It will, among other things, eliminate the mayor’s:

• authority to hire and fire the Chief of Police and city secretary;

• supervisory authority over city officers, books and records;

• authority to appoint to committees;

Additionally, the Chief of Police, city clerk and city secretary will be removed as officers of the city.

The citizens of Bradenton have the right to choose how we wish to be governed.

But not this way.

Not by these city councilmen: Roff, Sanders, Byrd.

If this government isn’t working, let’s have an open discussion about why it isn’t.

If this mayor and his administration aren’t doing their jobs, let’s have a full accounting.

I’ve sat through hours and hours of council meetings as part of my responsibility as a member of the Planning Commission.

Through all the discussion I have yet to hear one cogent argument for radical change in government.

Worse, there has been NO public input. None.

Instead, in their desperation to meet an August filing deadline, they force Council meetings during a public health crisis. With Bradenton police wearing PPEs and taking temperatures of everyone wanting to attend.

Does the charter need updating?

Yes.

But, again, not this way.

I hope you share my concerns.

Please contact your councilman or the mayor and ask what’s going on.

This discussion needs to be out in the open. Now.

Kurt Landefeld

Bradenton