Charter Review Commission

Overview

This committee serves at the direction of the City Council to review and recommend changes to Maitland’s City Charter. Members recommend necessary updates, additions and subtractions to the legal guidelines for the municipality’s government system. The committee includes five members who serve until December 31, 2021.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Who are the members of the Charter Review Commission?

Bill Randolph

Chairperson

John Lowndes

Vice-Chairperson

Sarah Grafton

Commission Member

Kathleen G. McIver

Commission Member

Karen Simasek

Commission Member

 

To contact the Commission members email the City Clerk at mwaldrop@itsmymaitland.com.

What is a City Charter?

A charter is a founding document of a City that establishes the governing system and structure.

Generally, Maitland’s Charter defines the powers of the City as granted by the state, the municipal powers and organization of the City Council, the roles and responsibilities of the Mayor, City Council members, City Clerk, and City Manager.  It details the procedures for elections, initiatives, referendum and recall elections, and how vacancies are filled. It also provides a guide on how the City is managed, the way taxes are levied and bonds are issued, and how to amend the Charter.

What is the Charter Review Commission?

At least once every ten years the City Council appoints residents to the Charter Review Commission to review the Charter and recommend amendments.  The previous commission was appointed in June 2011. The City Council appointed members to a new Charter Review Commission in July 2020.

The Charter Review Commission sets its own scope of work, however the City Council may request that the Charter Review Commission review specific sections of the Charter, but ultimately it is up to the Commission to decide what to address. In the past, charter review has considered larger questions of policy as well as operational issues embedded in the Charter.

If I am not on the Commission, how can I be involved?

Serving as a member of the Charter Review Commission is not the only way to be involved. All meetings of the Commission are public meetings and held in the City Hall Council Chambers.  Residents may attend the meeting or email the City Manager at sanselmo@itsmymaitland.com with their ideas or questions about Charter reform. The City has scheduled a public hearing for March 29, 2021 at 6:00 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers to review the tentative amendments to be voted on by the Commission.    

What if the Charter Review Commission recommends changes to the Charter?

Commission members will present recommendations to the City Council. If recommendations require voter approval, they can be referred to the ballot by the City Council. Administrative changes can be made without voter approval.

What is the timeline for the Charter review process?

The Charter Review Commission was appointed in July 2020 and started organizing their review process in September 2020. Charter Review Commission members serve until December 2021 or upon delivery of the final report, whichever comes first.  

How are you working to ensure that the process is open and accessible to the public?

Charter Review Commission meetings are open to the public and have time allocated for public input.  

How can I get a copy of the Charter?

The City’s Charter is available on the Municode Website .

How can I find information regarding Charter Review Commission meetings and agendas?

Residents can create an account on the City’s website to be notified of upcoming meetings.  Future and past Commission meeting agendas and minutes are available on the Agenda & Minutes page on the City’s website.   

What amendments are currently under consideration by the Charter Review Commission?

There are currently nine amendments under consideration:

Charter Section

Amendment

Sec 1.02 Construction

Gender Neutral Language.

Shall the City of Maitland’s Charter be amended to replace gendered references with gender-neutral language?

 

Sec. 2.01. - Composition, eligibility, election and terms.(c)

 

Clarification of Term Limits.

 

Shall Section 2.01 of the Maitland Charter be amended to provide clarification that a candidate for Mayor or Council who has served for two consecutive terms in office must wait for approximately one year after the end of the Mayor or Councilmember’s term before becoming eligible to hold office again?

 

Sec. 2.02 – Compensation

Update Elected Official Salaries to Reflect Consumer Price Index Increases.

Shall the City of Maitland’s Charter be amended to reflect the current salary for the mayor and council members as adjusted for increases in the consumer price index since the salaries were initially set?

 

Sec. 2.03 – Mayor.

Vice Mayor Succession. 

 

Shall the City of Maitland’s Charter be amended to provide that in the event of a vacancy in office of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall assume the Mayor’s duties until a replacement Mayor is elected and that the voters shall elect a replacement Mayor at the next scheduled municipal election where there is sufficient time for candidates to qualify?

 

Sec. 2.05 – Appointments and removal. (b)

Council Allowed to Discuss Appointment and Removal of City Officers and Employees.

Shall the City of Maitland’s Charter be amended to clarify that council members are not prohibited from discussing the appointment or removal of city administrative officers and employees with persons other than the City Manager?

 

Sec. 2.07 – Judge of qualifications

Public Notice for Hearing Regarding Forfeiture of Office.

 

Shall the City of Maitland’s Charter be amended to provide that when a council member who is being charged with conduct constituting grounds for forfeiture of office demands a public hearing, notice of said hearing may be provided on the city’s website rather than by publication in a newspaper?

 

Sec. 8.03. - Elections. (c)

Method for Determination of Candidates Elected.

 

Shall Section 8.03 of the City Charter be amended to eliminate the provision for a run-off city election when no candidate receives a majority of the total votes cast, establishing that the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office is elected, and establishing that when two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes the candidates shall draw lots to determine the winner?

 

Sec. 8.04. - Qualifications of candidate; form of oath. 

 

Ability to Amend Qualification Date.

Sec. 8.09. - Qualifications of electors; prescribing method and manner of elections.

Removal of Obsolete and Inaccurate Language Regarding Electors.

Shall Section 8.09 of the City Charter, governing qualifications of electors, be amended to remove obsolete references to Florida Statutes and remove language indicating the rules provided by the Charter always prevail over Florida Statutes where permitted?