Primary Election 2020: Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar City Results

TARPON SPRINGS, FL — Tarpon Springs and Oldsmar voters headed to the polls Tuesday to elect new city leaders and cast their ballots on amendments to the city charter.

Patch will provide unofficial results as soon as they are available. Polls close at 7 p.m.

Tarpon Springs

Seat 1 Commissioner

Jacob Karr 53.64 percent, 2,798 votes

Susan Hales 46.36 percent, 2,418 votes

No. 1 Charter Amendment

Increasing Exemption Threshold for Real Property Requirement and Requiring Referendum for Sale of Recreational Property

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires a voter referendum and approval by the affirmative vote of four members of the Board of Commissioners if the City wishes to purchase, sell, exchange, convey, or lease real property in any amount greater than $250,000. Shall the Charter be amended to increase the limitation amount to $350,000, but require a voter referendum for the sale of any city parks, recreational, or waterfront property?

Yes 66.80 percent, 3,465 votes

No 33.20 percent 1,722 votes

No. 2 Charter Amendment

Enumerating the Powers, Responsibilities, and Duties of the Board of Commissioners
Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently lists the composition and powers of the Board of Commissioners. Shall the Charter be amended to include and accurately enumerate the powers, responsibilities, and duties of the Board of Commissioners, including the duty to maintain parks, improve streets and sidewalks, evaluate charter officers, review city policies, set a budget, act as the Community Redevelopment Agency Board, create boards and departments, and maintain the Anclote River?

Yes 85.49 percent, 4,466 votes

No 14.51 percent, 758 votes

No. 3 Charter Amendment

Nonpartisan Municipal Elections and Correction of Spelling Error

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently provides for the terms of office, qualifications, and date of annual elections, but is silent as to the nonpartisan aspect of the City’s municipal elections. Shall the Charter be amended to clarify that all municipal elections in the City are to be conducted on a nonpartisan basis and to correct a spelling error of the word electors?

Yes 88.53 percent, 4,493 votes

No 11.47 percent, 582 votes

No. 4 Charter Amendment

Interference with Administration of Charter Officers

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently prohibits the Board of Commissioners from directing and supervising City employees that are under the City Manager’s authority, but does not address employees of other charter officers which are the City Attorney, Internal Auditor, and the City Clerk and Collector. Shall the Charter be amended to prohibit the Board of Commissioners from directing and supervising employees of all charter officers?

Yes 70.79 percent, 3,504 votes

No 29.21 percent, 1,446 votes

No. 5 Charter Amendment

Duties of Internal Auditor as a Full-time Employee of the City

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter is presently silent as to the full-time role of the Internal Auditor and does not enumerate the duties of the Internal Auditor. Shall the Charter be amended to require that the Internal Auditor be a full-time employee of the City and to enumerate the duties of the Internal Auditor, including the duty to audit City departments for compliance, develop an audit manual, and prepare and audit calendar?

Yes 78.90 percent, 3,957 votes

No 21.10 percent, 1,058 votes

No. 6 Charter Amendment

Authority of the City Clerk and Collector to Hire, Discharge, or Suspend Employees

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter authorizes the City Clerk and Collector to hire, discharge, or suspend employees of the City Clerk and Collector’s Office in the Charter Section relating to the City Manager. Shall the Charter be amended to reflect that the City Clerk and Collector is authorized to hire, discharge, or suspend employees of the City Clerk and Collector’s Office in the Charter Section relating to the City Clerk and Collector?

Yes 75.05 percent, 3,720 votes

No 24.95 percent, 1,237 votes

No. 7 Charter Amendment

Requiring the City Attorney or A Representative to Attend and Advise Quasi-judicial Board Meetings

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently does not require the City Attorney or a representative of the City Attorney’s Office to attend and advise quasi-judicial board meetings of the City. Shall the Charter be amended to require the City Attorney or a representative of the City Attorney’s Office to attend and advise all quasi-judicial board meetings of the City?

Yes 85.92 percent, 4,322 votes

No 14.08 percent, 708 votes

No. 8 Charter Amendment

Residency Requirement for the City Manager, Department Heads, and Charter Officers

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires the City Manager and limited positions to establish legal residency in the City, and allows the Board of Commissioners to temporarily excuse the residency requirements for up to one year. Shall the Charter be amended to allow the Board of Commissioners to excuse department heads and Charter Officers from residency requirements for up to three years, but not allow an exception for the City Manager?

Yes 37.56 percent, 1,894 votes

No 62.44 percent, 3,148 votes

No. 9 Charter Amendment

Prohibition of City Employees Selling Goods or Services to City

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently allows City employees to sell the City goods or services not in excess of $20.00. This section has been preempted by Section 112.313(3), Florida Statutes, which prohibits the sale of goods or services of any value by an employee to the City. Shall the Charter be amended to reflect Florida Statutes and delete language that allows City employees to sell goods or services to the City?

Yes 74.76 percent, 3,788 votes

No 25.24 percent, 1,279 votes

No. 10 Charter Amendment

Amending Street and Sidewalk Investment Fund and Creating the Sidewalk Improvement Fund

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter created a street and sidewalk investment fund to support street, drainage, and sidewalk improvements. The Charter Revision Commission has determined that the funds could be better utilized to effectuate sidewalk improvements throughout the City. Shall the requirements of the Fund be amended to allow the Board of Commissioners to appropriate up to $100,000 annually for sidewalk improvements if it is matched from the City’s Capital Improvement Program?

Yes 81.85 percent, 4,172 votes

No 18.15 percent, 925 votes

No. 11 Charter Amendment

Charter Revision Commission Advisory Opinion Regarding Charter Interpretation

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently allows the City Attorney to request from the Charter Revision Commission an advisory opinion concerning the interpretation of the City Charter. Shall the Charter be amended to allow the Board of Commissioners to reconvene the latest Charter Revision Commission to request advisory opinions regarding the interpretation of the City Charter when necessary?

Yes 75.99 percent, 3,680 votes

No 24.01 percent, 1,163 votes

No. 12 Charter Amendment

Amend City Hospital Name and Clarify That it is City Owned Property

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently references the City hospital as Tarpon Springs General Hospital. The name has since been changed to Advent Health North Pinellas. Shall the Charter be amended to reflect the current and accurate name of the hospital (Advent Health North Pinellas), clarify that it is city owned property, and require the Charter section to be referenced in all leases and agreements with Advent Health North Pinellas?

Yes 87.47 percent, 4,441 votes

No 12.53 percent, 636 votes

Sale of City-owned Surplus Property for Appraised Value

Shall the City sell to Jesse Bozarth a 2728 square foot, parcel of city-owned surplus property adjacent to his property at 308 High Street for its appraised value?

Yes 71.42 percent, 3,548 votes

No 28.58 percent, 1,420 votes

Oldsmar

City Council Seat 3

Chris Bohr 17.29 percent, 516 votes

Andrew Knapp 63.69 percent, 1,901 votes

Kelly O'Brien 19.03 percent, 568 votes

Charter Amendments

Correcting Codification Error by Reinstating Language that Provided for Filling of Council Vacancies — Shall the Charter, pursuant to Ordinance 2019-08, be amended to correct a codification error by reinstating language that provided for the filling of vacancies on the City Council?

Yes 90.71 percent, 2,567 votes

No 9.29 percent, 263 votes

See related story: 2020 Election: Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar To Elect City Leaders