Many have asked the question, what are these changes all
about?
Well the answer might be.
First and foremost one must recognize that the charter is
liken to the constitution of that of our country in that it sets up the basic
structure of the city government. In the case of Cooper City it says that the manner
which the city will operate is by an elected commission specifying all the rules
associated with that process and providing
policies and ordinances by which the
city manager will operate the city. As one would assume this involves many
activities and much of the charter deals with many but not all of these rules. The
key here is that these guidelines or rules are treated as the primary laws for the
operation of the city. They range from election procedures to many of the other
activities necessary for the process of the function of the city needs to
perform its’ obligations.
Do the proposed changes add or take away from the
existing charter?
In most cases the proposed changes do materially alter
the fundamental structure that has been in place for the last 35 years or so
and has been only previously changed in very minor ways. Keep in mind that
these types of changes can only occur every four years and absolutely require the
voters to approve them. An examination of the proposed changes does raise
several questions. The primary one is we the voter are neither familiar with
city procedures nor do we wish to become lost in the weeds of this type of
detail.
Rather than provide a lengthy microscopic view a summary
will provide a better guide. The changes start with the suggested need for an
absentee rules for members of the commission. Seems somewhat childish as most
of the commission members are of a character that such a stringent law is hardly a necessity. Then there are several
rather administrative type changes that seem totally out of place in the
charter as opposed to simply directives to be given to the city manager as to how
the commission wants the city to perform. The reason for a commission is to
have them decide what is essential for the process of the city functions and to
direct the city manager to implement them.
Two major concerns arises upon viewing the requested
changes.
(1) Is there an hidden agenda underlying the changes?
(2) Do we want to have the commissioners to become immersed in the details of the running of the functions of the city
?
(3) Why has the current status of the city manager,
highly skilled in the process of the city governance and well paid for his/her
skill level now being reduced to one of simply a clerk following the
direction of members of the commission, who in most cases have had very little if
any substantial training or education in governmental management?
Rather than delve into what could require many pages of discussion, they have all agreed to the following statement, an old adage my father often said to me,
“If It Is Not Broken, Then Don’t Attempt to Fix It”.
Therefore it is urged that the residents of Cooper City cast
a straight down the line the ballot, NO, to all of the proposed these changes,
thereby putting the task of the commissioners to make the necessary changes when
a need is required.
