Got Ideas For Polk’s Charter? Read This

The County Commission is planning a work session for 9 a.m. April 11 in Room 407. One of the topics will be the appointment of members to the next Charter Review Commission.

Under the charter, which you can read under the Government tab on the Polk County Government website, the new charter review panel must be appointed by July 1.

If you’d like to be considered for a seat on the panel, now’s the time to put your name in.

It will have 13 members. County Commission Chair Melony Bell will appoint three members. The other four county commissioners will appoint two each. The remaining two members will be appointed by the county’s constitutional officers.

The Charter Review Commission’s meetings are open to the public. Its final report is due July 1, 2018.

It is not obligated to recommend any changes to the charter and the last review panel strongly resisted putting most amendments suggested on the ballot.

Some of the changes suggested in the past included expanded the number of commissioners, making the seats non-partisan and asking voters to reconsider a decision made in 2000 to restrict commission pay to half of what is allowed under state law.

Any proposed charter changes would be placed on the November 2018 ballot and would not take effect unless approved by the voters.

Posted in Group Conservation Issues.