Islamorada Charter Review Committee considers staggering council seats for November ballot

Islamorada’s Charter Review Committee opened formal discussion on whether to amend the village charter to stagger the five council seats, a proposal that would, if approved by the Village Council, be placed before voters on the November ballot. The committee began those discussions at a Feb. 9 meeting and is working toward a May 31 deadline for a final report to the Village Council.

At the Feb. 9 meeting committee members compared the current seat-specific filing system with an alternative popular-vote method, noting the present model “sees candidates filing and vying for one of the five seats,” while the alternative would have “the top five voter getters in the field take the seats.” The committee’s next procedural step is to forward any recommendation: “The committee’s recommendation ultimately goes to the council for consideration and approval.” Keys to whether the proposal reaches voters hinge on council approval; “If the council signs off on the idea, a question would be posed to voters on whether to stagger council seats in the November election.”

The review is rooted in recent local election history. All village council seats were up for election during the 2020 cycle after a cascade of changes: then-councilmen Jim Mooney and Mike Forster announced runs for state and county offices respectively; Chris Sante, who filled the seat after Cheryl Meads resigned, chose not to run; councilwoman Deb Gillis was termed out; and former councilman Ken Davis, who was seeking re-election that year, tragically passed away in September 2020. Committee members pointed to those events as context for reconsidering whether all five seats should come up simultaneously every two years.

Mayor Don Horton proposed impaneling the Charter Review Committee in December and encouraged the group to consider multiple changes. “Horton suggested potential items for consideration could include the appointment process for mayor and vice mayor, three-year council terms instead of the current two years or electing the five top vote-getters to council rather than the current format that requires candidates to file and compete for one of five specific seats,” the council report states.

The Village Council unanimously adopted a resolution to impanel the committee and directed Village Manager Ron Saunders to secure meeting supports. The council ordered Saunders to obtain “a facilitator to help direct committee meetings as well as an independent third-party to review and make recommendations on the committee’s proposals.” Committee rules stipulate that “An affirmative vote of the majority of members present will be required to take official action.”

Procedurally the timeline is clear: the Charter Review Committee must deliver a final report by May 31, the Village Council will consider any recommendations, and any council-approved charter amendments would then require approval by a majority of Islamorada voters to take effect. Saunders said he would approach the Florida League of Cities about identifying a potential third-party reviewer to evaluate committee proposals.

In the same round of council business, the Village Council unanimously adopted a resolution opposing offshore oil and gas lease drilling off Florida, similar to actions by Monroe County and other Keys municipalities, and agreed to study Workforce/Affordable Housing Committee recommendations for encouraging use of the village’s 292 early-evacuation allocations. Local community news running alongside the charter coverage noted an “EVENING OF GRATITUDE BENEFIT RAISES $300,000 FOR MARINERS HOSPITAL” in the Keysweekly feed.