City Commission Approves 2014 Municipal Election Move

The Safety Harbor City Commission voted to move its 2014 municipal election from March to November on Monday night.

The ordinance, which was first approached during a budget workshop in May, would save the city approximately $20,000.

The item passed by a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Nancy Besore and Cliff Merz voting against the ordinance. 

The issue has been a source of contention for weeks, with many residents and some commissioners expressing displeasure with the proposal, which would extend the terms of Mayor Joe Ayoub and Vice Mayor Nina Bandoni by nine months.

The contention continued Monday night as soon as the item came up on the agenda.

Commissioner Besore immediately said she had considered Commissioner Rick Blake's suggestion from the previous meeting to shorten hers as well as Blake's and Commissioner Merz's terms by moving the March 2015 election up to November of 2014.

"With great deliberation I have considered Commissioner Blake's idea...and because of the great consternation among the residents, I am willing to throw myself on that bus," Besore said.

But Blake disagreed with Besore's revised suggestion, which called for the outgoing commissioners to serve out their remaining terms even if they were voted out of office months earlier.

"I think...the goal is for this not to be confusing," Blake replied. "I don't like the idea of voting somebody in and then carrying out the seat for four months after the voting's been done."

With that option off the table, the commission got down to voting on the ordinance following input from the public.

Unlike past meetings, only two residents got up to speak about the issue, but both expressed strong opposition to the matter.

"We elect mayors and councilmen and councilwomen to serve for a fixed term, not for a variable length of time to be decided by them while they are in office," Michael Donner said.

"Do not move the 2014 election, as it affects the length of office for elected officials who are currently serving."

"I agree," Russell Norman followed. "I think it would be unethical for you to vote and change that election when it's your term you're voting on."

Merz concurred with the residents.

"To me this is fundamental to our constitution. You cannot have individuals extending their terms," he said. "There's a procedure and we need to stick with the procedure."

But when the vote was tallied, the majority had sided with the decision to move the elections back nine months.

"I think I'm at a point now where I'd like to put this issue behind us and focus on other issues," Mayor Ayoub said.

Harborites, what do you think about the commission's decision? Let us know in the comments below.