City Attorney Rusty Wells issued today a memo to Mayor Mike Wiggins on the new charter, which I have received a copy of. It’s a preview to the full presentation Wells plans to give to the City Council at its Committee of the Whole meeting on Dec. 14. The new charter goes into effect January 1 and the current Pensacola City Council needs to determine how the transition will take pl.ace from Jan. 1 to when the first strong mayor and new council take office in 2011. The ordinances for the transition will be passed in January and February, 2010.
The City manager position is abolished effective Jan. 1, according to Wells, and the council will need to hire an interim city manager until January 2011 – which could be Al Coby. The Council sets the powers of the interim city manager. Mike Wiggins does not become the strong mayor with the power to appoint a city administrator. The first strong mayor will be elected November 2010, The primary is in August 2010.
The City Council will need to adopt a Code of Ethics and a set the salaries of the new mayor and the city council- but Wells says those decisions can wait until August 2010.
The New Charter says the first strong mayor and the new council members – with four year terms – begins at noon on the second Monday of January 2011 as provided for in the former City Charter, or on such earlier date as the office becomes vacant after the 2010 general election—meaning the old council and mayor could resign and let their successors take office early.
The mayor and Council districts 2, 4, 6, one at-large Council Member (“Aâ€) will be elected to four-year terms. The others will face re-election in 2012 to set the staggered terms. District 2: Sam Hall; District 4: Larry Johnson; District 6: Jewel Cannada-Wynn; At-Large A – Diane Mack.