aug 30 primary election - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T15:36:27Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/aug+30+primary+electionBoca Raton: City residents to vote on two council issues Aug. 30https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-city-residents-to-vote-on-two-council-issues-aug-302016-08-03T16:38:43.000Z2016-08-03T16:38:43.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Henry Fitzgerald</strong><br /><br /> In addition to voting for their choice of Democratic or Republican members of Congress in the Aug. 30 primary election, Boca Raton voters will be deciding how to fill council vacancies or whether council members should get a raise.<br /> One referendum question was added to the ballot at the request of Councilman Scott Singer. He said council vacancies take too long to fill and that voters should elect the person for the open seat. <br /> Under the current rules, the council selects a person to fill the seat, but Singer has said an unelected person could hold the seat for two years of a three-year term.<br /> “Shouldn’t residents have the greatest say?” he has asked.<br /> Councilman Mike Mullaugh pushed for the second question, saying better-paying council jobs might attract a wider field of candidates. The proposed raises would boost the mayor’s pay to $38,000 a year from $9,000, and a council member’s pay to $28,000 a year from $7,200. If approved, the pay hikes would become effective in October 2017.<br /> The questions read as follows, with “yes” and “no” options for voters:<br /><br /><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">City Of Boca Raton Referendum Question No. 1</span><br /> Proposed charter amendment filling of vacancies in the City Council<br /> The city charter provides: vacancies on City Council are filled by appointment until the next regular city election. The proposed charter amendment would provide: Vacancies on City Council, including the office of mayor, will be filled by special election for the unexpired term. The special election will generally be no later than the Tuesday following the 90th day after the vacancy (or on a scheduled election date if within 150 days of the vacancy). <br /> Shall the charter be amended?<br /><br /><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">City Of Boca Raton Referendum Question No. 2</span><br /> Proposed ordinance mayor and City Council member salaries<br /> The proposed ordinance provides that the annual salary of the mayor shall be increased to $38,000.00, and the annual salary of the other council members shall be increased to $28,000.00.<br /> Shall the above described ordinance be adopted?</p></div>Boca Raton: Questions about council vacancies and pay make Aug. 30 ballothttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-questions-about-council-vacancies-and-pay-make-aug-30-2016-06-29T14:06:02.000Z2016-06-29T14:06:02.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Sallie James</strong><br /><br /> It’s finally settled. Boca Raton voters will get the chance to decide two issues on the Aug. 30 primary election ballot: Whether unexpected City Council vacancies should be filled by special election and whether council members should get a raise.<br /> First, it took the pleas of nearly 20 residents to finally persuade the council to vote “Yes” on the council vacancy issue. <br /> Resident Geraldine Allerman told council members the charter change was essential.<br /> “I strongly support this ordinance and I would like to see it changed. We really need a more democratic process,” Allerman said at the June 14 City Council meeting.<br /> What city officials approved is a slightly revised version of an earlier proposal by council member Scott Singer that tanked in May amid a barrage of criticism. Singer remained adamant about the proposal, saying voters needed the ability to choose someone for an open council seat rather than watch an appointed member serve until the next regularly scheduled city election.<br /> He reintroduced the measure with revisions. The revised charter change would require council vacancies be filled by special election no later than 90 days after the vacancy occurred. The new version also includes language that outlines the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of holding special elections concurrently with previously scheduled elections.<br /> “I think the fact there were 17 speakers from the public all unanimously in favor of the change shows how the public feels about this role in government. I am pleased there was unanimous support for this good government provision,” Singer said after the vote. “I am pleased that the council supports the concept of letting the people always choose their elected leaders.”<br /> Singer first presented the proposal to the council in early May, but it failed after council members expressed concerns about unknown costs, among other things.<br /> The revised charter change provides that a special election for a council vacancy would take place the Tuesday following the 90th day after the vacancy occurs or as soon as practical. The amendment goes on to say if the vacancy occurs within 150 days of a previously scheduled federal, state, countywide or city election, the special election can be held concurrently.<br /> Cost has always been a concern. According to Boca Raton City Clerk Susan Saxton, a special election held in conjunction with a primary or general election could cost the city anywhere from $7,500 to $10,000. A stand-alone special election — which would include all actual costs incurred by the county supervisor of elections — would cost between $120,000 and $135,000.<br /> Mayor Susan Haynie said the revised charter change covered all the bases.<br /> “I think we have heard from the public. I think all the different combinations, scenarios have been addressed here,” Haynie said. “This isn’t something that happens on a frequent basis. This addresses the stand-alone elections and I intend to support it.”<br /> City activist Betty Grinnan called the charter change a “no brainer.”<br /> “It’s a vote for democracy,” Grinnan said. <br /> The council at the meeting also unanimously approved putting on the Aug. 30 ballot proposed salary increases for the mayor and City Council members, but they changed some of the original proposals made in late April. <br /> The revised ordinance removes proposed automatic salary increases tied to the County Commission and slightly reduces the previously proposed annual salaries.<br /> The earlier proposed salary of $38,550 for the mayor was reduced to $38,000 in the revised proposal, and the initial proposed salary of $28,766 for City Council members was reduced to $28,000 in the revision.<br /> Boca Raton’s mayor is now paid $9,000 a year, while council members are paid $7,200 a year. <br /> The April proposal from council member Robert Weinroth suggested elected officials get pay raises that more than quadruple their salaries, and stated that if Palm Beach County commissioners’ salaries are raised, Boca Raton council members’ salaries would be raised the same percentage. <br /> Weinroth said he proposed the revisions because feedback from the community and the Chamber of Commerce showed support for the increase, but reservations about making them automatic.<br /> “In the time that has passed I have heard from voters who had misgivings that this salary could continue to rise without their input,” Weinroth said. <br /> If voters approve the measure, the pay hikes would become effective in October 2017. Previous attempts in 2004 and 2006 to increase the salaries both failed.<br /> City resident James Hendrey supports the salary increases and thinks they are necessary to attract quality City Council candidates.<br /> “We are only going to make that happen if people are compensated fairly for the effort you put forward,” Hendrey told council members. “It should not be a windfall, but recognition that you folks are giving to your community in a very great way. I am in favor of this and I think it’s really important.”</p></div>