Longboat plans outreach for referendum questions

Town staff have planned information sessions this month and next in preparation of the March 20 election, but what exactly will they talk about?

Town Manager Tom Harmer said he is hoping these information sessions will offer a venue to explain what’s in the new proposed town charter and how the town is hoping to renovate and rebuild its fire stations. Electors will make both decisions in March, in addition to Town Commission races.

The town is also planning to post documents about each of the ballot questions on the town website, including a video recording of the first Town Hall session, planned for Jan. 25, to give residents multiple means of accessing information.

The proposed charter

The proposed charter is full of revisions from the existing town document, most of which are what town staff have called “administrative” or “clean-up” changes that don’t bring substantive change to how the town runs.

For example, town records could be stored digitally, the town manager could appoint an assistant, and the vice mayor could succeed the mayor in the event of his or her absence if voters approve the proposed charter.

The proposed charter also suggests deferring ethics investigations to a state board, yielding election date authority to a county Supervisor of Elections and eliminating the Town Commission’s investigative authority over town staff.

Most potent for residents, however, could be the town’s proposal allowing commissioners to approve revenue bonds of $5 million or less without voter approval. The current charter requires commissioners to seek a referendum if they want to issue a revenue bond for any amount.

Revenue bonds, which are backed by the proposed earnings of the project it funds, can be used to finance any revenue-producing project.

This all started last year when commissioners appointed a charter review committee to assess and recommend changes to the town’s foundational document. The charter requires the town review its underpinning codes every decade.

The proposed renovated/replaced fire stations

The other referendum question is about the town’s two firehouses — at 2162 Gulf of Mexico Drive and 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive — which are in need of updates.

The south station doesn’t meet modern firehouse codes nor provide separate locker rooms for men and women. The north station needs ventilation upgrades and additional storage space.

Voter approval of a $5.85 million bond issue, which could cost a homeowner with a home $500,000 of assessed value anywhere between $6 and $16 per year, would pay for rebuilding the south station and renovating the northern station.