April 24, 2007 (File No. 070850) the County Commission created a Charter Review Task Force. It had 21 members. Each Commissioner chose one member and the Mayor chose a member. That was pretty much it. Nothing much happened with the recommendations from this 2007 Task Force.
NOW we have 2011 and there is a recall cloud -- called Norman Braman -- hanging over the County Commissioners, so they are forming a NEW Charter Review Task Force. It will have 20 members, thirteen (13) of which shall be appointed by each County Commissioner, one (1) by the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, four (4) by each of the four largest cities in Miami-Dade County, and two (2) by the League of Cities to represent smaller cities in Miami-Dade County. (Last time the League of Cities chose 3 members).
Luckily, Pepe Diaz's idea for staffing it didn't fly: He wanted it to consist of fourteen (14) members selected by the Board of County Commissioners as follows: Each Commissioner may nominate two people from which the Board will select nine (9) Charter Review Task Force Members; the Mayor may nominate five (5) people from which the Board will select two (2) Charter Review Task Force Members; and the League of Cities may nominate five (5) people from which the Board will select three (3) Charter Review Task Force Members. The chair of the Task Force shall be selected by the Board of County Commissioners.
Further he wanted: Nominees for membership in the Charter Review Task Force must be registered voters in Miami-Dade County and must meet one or more of the following qualifications: attorneys with government experience; law professors; professors of public administration; Chief Executive Officers from industries designated as Miami-Dade Cluster Industries by the Beacon Council; Chief Executive Officers from non-governmental organizations, or civic minded individuals knowledgeable with issues affecting Miami-Dade County. Current elected officials, Miami-Dade County employees and persons registered as lobbyists in Miami-Dade County, or have lobbied Miami-Dade County in the preceding year, are not eligible to serve on the Charter Review Task Force.
That is a whole lot of constraints don't you think? The only good thing about Pepe's proposed ordinance was that NO Lobbyists were allowed on the Task Force. Last time around Lobbyist Miguel DeGrandy (Natacha Seijas's appointment) gummed up the works. Pepe was proposing 26 nominees from the Commissioners and then the Commission would have had to whittle that down to 9. They would have to have an 18 hour meeting to do something that monumental.
Let's see if this ADDITIONAL ITEM -- they added this time around -- comes to pass (Norman Braman will be watching): The Commission hereby expresses its intent to forward any item approved by at least 2/3’s of the membership of the Charter Review Task Force for placement on the ballot at the next available countywide election, pursuant to Section 9.07 of the Charter. Hardly anything got on the ballot last time.
11 comments:
Pepe's proposal sounds pretty reasonable. Instead of having hacks and synchophants he seems to suggest nominating people who understand governance. A charter should be crafted by people who understand organizations and the rules and regulations for running a large government. Give his proposal a second read. It seems to be a legitimate effort to get the right people involved. As someone who watches the BCC, and works for a not-for-profit, I am inclined to support Diaz on this one.
Except the charter is suppose to be the PEOPLE'S CHARTER not run by experts.
The people ultimately must approve any changes. Calling upon capable and competent people to draft the changes is very American. The group that gathered in Philadelphia a couple of hundred years ago to work on the Constitution were not randomly gathered from a town square. Some knowledgeable nominees would benefit us all.
The Beacon council???
I think the first post was from lew Pew's staff!
WHAT did I read?!?!?! This is corrpution in the making!
". . . forming a NEW Charter Review Task Force. It will have 20 members, thirteen (13) of which shall be appointed by each County Commissioner, one (1) by the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, four (4) by each of the four largest cities in Miami-Dade County, and two (2) by the League of Cities to represent smaller cities in Miami-Dade County. (Last time the League of Cities chose 3 members)."
They should put Victor Diaz in charge again.
No need to reinvent the wheel.
Dust off the one from 2007 and put it to the 2/3 vote. See what passes.
Let's have a lotto to see which idiot nominates de Grandy?
Vctor Diaz should do it again, if he has the stomach.
What about public input?
Victor Diaz did not even notice the Strong Mayor charter did not address the issue of a vacancy in the Office of the Mayor. He should stay put on the beach.
Once again the unincorporated resident is the step-child of the county since the charter commission members would come predominently from cities even though we UMSA residents comprise 48% of the couty population as a whole.Our issues will not be addressed.
For that reason alone I will vote and work against all the proposed charter amendments.
Victor Diaz did a great job. He and his board came up with great proposed changes to the Charter. Of course, a vast majority of the power hungry Commissioners trashed his boards recommendations. In fact, Moss and Barrerio and Martinez tried to give themselves more power. Pigs.
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