From Pensacola Council President Brian Spencer:
Mayoral Veto of #17-00186 Hiring of a Budget Analyst
Although requests have been made of me as Council President to provide an opinion on the Mayoral veto of the City Council’s action regarding the hiring of a Budget Analyst, I do not feel it is appropriate to do so at this time.
I believe that this matter may prove to be a complex legal issue requiring the advice and opinion of outside legal Counsel in order to assist the City Council in determining the appropriate course of action. I do not feel it is appropriate for me to unilaterally make such a decision without the majority consent of City Council.
I further believe this matter has the potential of far reaching implications that extend beyond the hiring of a Council Staff member. Thus, the City Council should address this issue as a body, not as individuals expressing individual opinions prior to a meeting of the entire Council. I will be submitting this item as an agenda item for discussion at the April 10, 2017 Agenda Conference.
Until such time as we meet, I will be making no further statement in an effort to avoid any appearance of a Sunshine violation.
Pensacola should never have moved from a Council/Manager form of government to a strong mayor form. Pensacola needs a professional city manager, not an elected idiot.
Sorry you feel that way Mr. Unreal engine
“I told you so”
BS as usual has no leadership skills nor courage to lead. Let me “unpack” this latest, BS statement that said, “I believe that this matter may prove to be a complex legal issue requiring the advice and opinion of outside legal Counsel in order to assist the City Council in determining the appropriate course of action. I do not feel it is appropriate for me to unilaterally make such a decision without the majority consent of City Council.”
1. Your wife drafted the City Charter and led the Charter Committee, if after 2 terms on the Council you haven’t ALREADY had some outside “legal counsel” is disingenuous and BS.
2. You are the “President of the City Council” that has the Charter Authority to hire its “budget staff” and appropriates the City Budget. BS, show some leadership and be “President” and make a “decision” to serve the “people” and perform your fiduciary duty and hire the person to “oversee the budget” OR refuse to approve ANY budget or even place the Mayor’s “items” on the agenda.
That’s LEADERSHIP.
This would all be funny if it were not so sad. Three wrongs do not make a right. During its last meeting, the Council voted to take a two-part action it has no power to take. First, it voted to amend the existing Budget Analyst Ordinance without adopting an ordinance, an action that would have been subject to mayoral veto. Second, as part of the same action, a “twofer,” the Council voted at the same time to amend a part of the City Charter that pertains to the Budget Analyst position without proposing a Charter Amendment and without getting voter approval. Obviously, as is too often the case, the Council had no idea what it was doing or why. In both instances, state law gives the Council no power to do what it tried to do. As such, the vote has no legal effect. If Council President Spencer asked her, I am sure that City Attorney Bowling would tell her the same, as she should have done before the vote, and as Council Executive Kraher who went to law school should also have told him. The fact that the City Attorney and City Clerk said nothing further supports my view that both should be elected offices to provide a “check” on the Council that seems to violate the law almost as much as the Mayor. The City Charter give the mayor a limited veto power. In this case, there was noting done by the Council that could be vetoed by Mayor Hayward. Accordingly, the veto also has no legal effect notwithstanding that Hayward wrongly believed, or was led to believe, that he was vetoing a “resolution.”
I AM IN SHOCK OF THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ESCAMBIA AND PENSACOLA!
This is simply another reason why the county lags behind in growth compared to other area! Can you believe the neighboring county in Alabama is growing twice as quickly!
Profiles in courage!
Hey spencer, we could care less about what you “feel”….your feelings have nothing to do with city business. We want to know what you think, not what you feel…clown