Charter Review Commission proposes creation of compensation committee for town council and change in terms for appointed councilmembers
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted Monday to approve recommendations to the town’s charter that would change the length of terms for councilmembers who are appointed to fill vacancies and create a compensation committee to help determine the salaries of councilmembers, if voters this November approve the changes by referendum.
The changes to the town’s charter were recommended by the Town of Fort Myers Beach Charter Review Commission, whose members were appointed by the town council last year. Before the changes go on the ballot, there will still need to be two public hearings which makes it unclear why the council voted to already adopt the changes. There needs to be two readings of the ordinance before it can go to referendum, according to the town’s attorney Nancy Stuparich. Those hearings are expected to take place next month or in June.
Charter Review Commission Chair James Dunlap, who formulated the proposals for the compensation committee, said the new compensation committee would be appointed by the town councilmembers themselves. They would be formed in 2027 if the town council approves the creation of the commission into the charter, and voters approve the new charter changes this November. The compensation committee would meet every four years and would make their recommendation for town council salary changes. That recommendation could be made as soon as the committee meets and would be due no later than three months before the next general election (in 2028). “This approach provides a consistent and predictable review schedule,” Dunlap said.
Dunlap told the town council on Monday that he believed the compensation committee would be “arms-length” from the town council. Dunlap said his belief is that by increasing the salaries of the town council that it would allow people who are not retired to serve on the council. “I think it’s important for the community to both respect these jobs and their fair value and to have an independent process to bring the alternatives forward for you to all see and debate.”
Dunlap said he worked with the town’s human resources director by comparing salaries to other municipalities locally, including Naples, in putting together the concept.
Charter review commission members Ed Schoonover and Beverly Milligan said they had no issues with the recommendation.
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers currently earns $20,053 for the part-time job, while all other councilmembers receive $17,546 annually for their part-time work. Under the town’s charter, the mayor is appointed by the town’s councilmembers.
The committee also took up the matter of clarifying language in the charter concerning the appointments of councilmembers when a vacancy occurs. This issue came to the forefront in recent months when former Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Jim Atterholt resigned, leading to questions of whether the charter intended that his successor serve until the next election in November or for the remainder of Atterholt’s term, which would be until 2028. The town attorney interpreted the charter to intend for the appointment to be through the next election in November, which is when Atterholt’s successor John McLean will need to run for a new four-year term.
Under the proposal from the Charter Review Commission, the appointment would last for the remainder of the term of the seat that was vacated, instead of through the next scheduled election as will occur this year.
The commission also proposes to strike language from the charter concerning qualifying candidates for councilmembers seeking election. This is due to the town’s arrangement with the Lee County Supervisor of Elections, to have the county run the town’s elections. The current charters sets days for a qualifying period, which became a source of confusion and contention among the town council ahead of last year’s recall election. The new charter would also eliminate a town canvassing board to oversee the elections.
Among the other recommendations the Charter Review Commission made to the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council, is a proposed statement in the charter that the town council adopt ordinances to promote transparency and ethics in government by the adoption of an ordinance prohibiting the acceptance of unlawful gifts, and the disclosure of communications in quasi-judicial hearings.
Fort Myers Beach Attorney Nancy Stuparich said the public will be able to vote on each change individually at this November’s election. Stuparich said there will need to be two public hearings on the proposed charter review commission change before it goes on the ballot.