Last modified 8/11/2008 - 9:20 pm
Originally created 081308
In Atlantic Beach, residents are being asked to change the plan they voted for last fall.
By DREW DIXON, Shorelines
ATLANTIC BEACH - The City Commission voted Monday to approve the wording to a proposed referendum that says commissioners wouldn't have to live in the districts they represent.
The measure still has to go to a public hearing Aug. 25 and must be submitted to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office by Sept. 5 before it could appear on the Nov. 4 ballot for review by city voters. But Commissioner Paul Parsons proposed the ordinance that would modify a charter amendment approved by voters in October that established a plan for the city to assign each of the four commissioners a geographic district and they'd have to live in those districts.
The commission vote on the proposed measure was 3-2 with Mayor John Meserve and Carolyn Wood dissenting. The vote followed heavy criticism from several residents during the public input portion of Monday's meeting.
"It really appalls me, and it's somewhat arrogant, to take a voter decision without even giving it a try... and turn around and spit in their faces," said former Atlantic Beach Mayor Lyman Fletcher, who was also the chairman of a citizen's committee who formulated the original referendum.
Even Meserve, who was outspoken against the referendum last year, said since it has been approved, the city should at least see how it might work.
The ordinance and charter amendment established the concept of setting up four geographic districts to correspond with the four commission seats. Each commissioner would have to live in the area they represent, although they would be elected from voters citywide. The measure does not apply to the mayor.
District supporters say it would provide more balanced representation because most commissioners live in the eastern area of the city; none has ever lived west of Mayport Road.
The charter amendment that was approved in October hasn't been tried yet since the next City Commission election isn't until the fall of 2009.
But Parsons, who has opposed the district set-up, has wanted to get rid of the residency requirement. His proposed measure would allow anyone running for commission to live anywhere in the city and be elected at large. However, each commission seat would be assigned a specific geographic district they would represent.
"In my opinion, the new Atlantic Beach district representation law was flawed," Parsons said. "I believe this new law will pit district against district and neighborhood against neighborhood."
While the western area of the city has never had an elected commissioner that lives in that area, Parsons said the Mayport Road corridor has had more attention in recent years than any other area of the city under the current commission set-up that has no geographic districts.
The city is in the middle of an attempt to revitalize the Mayport Road corridor which for years has been blighted and has become a center for criminal activity.
Drew Dixon can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6313
