Notes: Charter review 6.19.08

June 18 Charter Review Commission meeting notes:

Mayor John Fogg told the Charter Review Commission Monday night part of the reason he announced when he did that he’s not seeking re-election is so he could speak to them “honestly and freely.”

Fogg also said he plans to recommend Al Coby, assistant city manager, for the interim city manager position.

CRC member Mark Crutcher was absent from the CRC meeting. Members Larry Hicks and Sam Horton arrived late, and Jim Reeves left early.

In addition to Fogg, Councilwoman Jewel Cannada-Wynn and area residents C.C. Elebash and John Peacock addressed the commission.

Also, members discussed a special July 1 City Council meeting. Chairwoman Crystal Spencer and consultant William Haraway will discuss their request for alternates and their recommendation to move the senior alternate, Jim Reeves, into the voting member spot Megan Pratt held.

Fogg began his talk by telling CRC members their work is known about statewide, and no one will accept the city manager post until their task is complete. So it is necessary for the commission “to complete that work as quickly as you can.”

Fogg also said public perception is that the mayor runs the city, which is the farthest from the truth.

Pensacola needs a strong, full-time political leader, “however that’s structured,” the mayor said. Perhaps it could be like council-manager hybrid, like in Austin, Texas, Fogg added. Because in this current system, you can’t tell people you’ll deliver something, “because you can’t.”

In the mayoral role, Fogg said, he would “absolutely demand” that his Number 2 be “a public administration official like a Tom Bonfield, much like a chief of staff.”

Fogg said the two key issues for the mayor are compensation and authority.

Regarding term limits, the mayor said they advocate control at the state level. “I would oppose term limits adamantly and publicly if that was the recommendation.”

CRC chairwoman Spencer asked the mayor about the number of city council members, considering a couple people have told the CRC ten is excessive for a city Pensacola’s size.

“My personal opinion is, we don’t need that many,” Fogg said.

CRC alternate Reeves’ questions for the mayor included how long terms should be, and Fogg said he thinks four years is reasonable.

Fogg said three kinds of people run for mayor: 1) Someone for whom $23,000 is a raise. 2) Someone who is a business owner and can have someone else run the business. 3) Someone who is independently wealthy and/or retired.

In response to a question by CRC member Larry Hicks, the mayor said Sunshine Laws are “great,” but he also called them “very cumbersome.

“Why do you think the state legislature exempted themselves?” Fogg asked. “It sure makes things very, very difficult. It’s well intended, but it’s just a fact of life.”

CRC member Robert Holmes asked Fogg if the city council should have the power to recall the mayor.

There’s a myriad of ways to do that for checks and balances, Fogg said. The ability for the city council to recall “is absolutely required with a strong mayor form of government,” Fogg said. “But…I’m not suggesting that’s the direction this commission go.”

CRC member DeeDee Ritchie asked the mayor to describe the specifics of strong mayor versus consolidation.

Your charter does not provide for talks about consolidation, Fogg said. However, the mayor said his personal opinion is that “in the communities where it’s been implemented, it’s worked very well.

“But everything in this business is a double-edged sword—it doesn’t work perfectly.”

And Ritchie responded: “Maybe it’s something we can move toward, even if it’s not decided by this body.”

Fogg said at different times that he was commenting with or without his “mayor hat on.”

Spencer asked Fogg, without the hat on, what form of government would be in the best interest of the city.

“There’s a perceived lack of leadership in our community,” Fogg responded.

When people say there is no leadership in Pensacola, “I adamantly object to that,” the mayor added. He cited projects like the Community Maritime Park, the library system and the relocation of the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant as examples of progress.

Those are “major accomplishments I wouldn’t have thought possible 10 to 20 years ago,” but the media portrays the city as if it’s in dire straights, Fogg said.

CRC member Floyd Armstrong asked the mayor if he thinks it’s necessary to have three at-large city council members from the same district.

“I didn’t know that,” Fogg said. “I’ve never paid that much attention to where they’re from. At-large represents the entire city, so it doesn’t matter where you live, in my opinion.”

The mayor also reiterated that he is not a proponent of strong mayor, as he said the Pensacola News Journal and WEAR have inaccurately reported. “I am advocating a change in our form of government,” Fogg said.

Armstrong also asked the mayor if positions should be partisan or non-partisan, and Fogg said non-partisan positions on the city council have worked very well in Pensacola.

CRC member Horton asked Fogg why (outgoing) city manager Tom Bonfield did not get an evaluation in ten years until he requested one, which Bonfield had told the CRC.

“Bonfield is evaluated every day,” Fogg said. There is no need for an evaluation. All it takes is six votes to fire him, and he’s gone.”