City Commission Work Session

1 MINUTES City of Holmes Beach City Commission Work Session June 11, 2024, 2:00 p.m. Patricia A. Geyer Commission Chambers 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217 Present: Commissioner Diggins, Commissioner Morton, Commissioner Soustek, Chair Schaefer Absent: Commissioner Kerchner Staff Present: Mayor Titsworth, City Attorney Augello, City Clerk Johnston, Lieutenant Hall _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order Chair Schaefer called the meeting to order at 4:45 p.m. 2. Roll Call 3. Comments By The Public None. 4. Unfinished Business None. 5. New Business 5.a Discussion - Changes to City's Charter relating to process for selecting Charter Review Commission City Attorney Augello informed the City Commission this year would be the fifth year for an elected Charter Review Commission to review the City's Charter. However, only one candidate filed and qualified to serve on the Charter Commission, thus resulting in no City Charter review for an additional five years. City Attorney Augello was asked by the City Commission to provide alternatives to the City's Charter language that would either change the process for selection of the Charter Commission or add language to be followed in the event not enough candidates qualified to run for election. City Attorney Augello noted that in her Municode research, it was unusual to have an elected Charter Review Commission, that she could not find another one in the State of Florida. Options were then presented. Any Charter change will require adoption of an Ordinance to include ballot language. The Ordinance must be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections Office no later than August 19, 2024, for the question to be placed on the November general election. 2 After discussion, there was unanimous consensus to move forward as follows:  Authorized City Attorney Augello to draft an Ordinance that will change the City's Charter relating to the Charter Review Commission. The Charter currently states all five members shall be elected by the voters. The new change will allow the City Commission to request applications from people interested in serving on the Charter Review Commission for their consideration. Each City Commissioner will select a candidate from the submitted applications. Appointments must be approved by a super- majority vote of the City Commission. If there are not five applicants, the City Commission will nominate additional members which will also require a super-majority vote of the City Commission to be appointed.  The City's Charter will be reviewed every five years. The next City Charter review will be held in 2029.  Add a provision allowing the City Commission the ability to decline any and/or all the Charter Review Commission's recommendations prior to being sent to the Supervisor of Elections Office and placed on the ballot. 5.b Discussion - PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) Class Action Lawsuit Chair Schaefer announced there is a new Class Action lawsuit relating to PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in drinking water. He had asked City Attorney Augello to research if there was any applicability for the City of Holmes Beach to be included with the Class Action suit. City Attorney Augello stated she was unable to find any lawsuit and that the largest ones she found are usually tied to fire extinguishers, etc. getting into the drinking water. With Holmes Beach not having a Fire Department there would be no standing on the City's part to participate and join any lawsuit, and others have already been settled. In addition, the City does not provide water to residents. There are, however, lawsuits that individuals could join that may be suffering from a specific illness, etc. Chair Schaefer thanked City Attorney Augello for her research, feeling it was worthy of her time to investigate and report on. 5.c Discussion - Resolution relating to Bottled Water There have been new regulations required for drinking water. Chair Schaefer had asked City Attorney Augello if the City could require business owners to only supply water that had gone through the reverse osmosis process - which she indicated the City could not. Chair Schaefer had considered drafting a Resolution encouraging the Holmes Beach businesses to only utilize reverse osmosis water. However, since that time, he has learned that the new drinking water regulations will not apply to bottled water.  There was a unanimous consensus that adopting a Resolution as mentioned be tabled until finding out what the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds in their research. 6. Announcements 7. Questions and Comments 7.a Questions and Comments from Mayor and City Commission None. 7.b Questions and Comments from City Attorney 3 None. 7.c Questions and Comments from Staff FACC Academy - 2024 City Clerk Johnston announced she will be attending the Florida Association of City Clerk's (FACC) Academy June 23 through June 26. Deputy Clerk Lowe will attend the June 25 City Commission meeting in her absence. FLC Conference - 2024 Chair Schaefer asked that any City Commissioner wishing to attend the August 2024 Florida League of Cities (FLC) meeting should contact City Clerk Johnston to make reservations. He had considered attending but has a conflict during the week of the conference. 7.d Questions and Comments from The Public and Press None. 8. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by Chair Schaefer at 5:16 p.m. _________________________ City Clerk _________________________ Minutes Approved