BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
GREEN COVE SPRINGS— The Clay County Charter Review Commission held public hearings on three proposed amendments to the county’s charter.
Only one of the proposed amendments received a comment from a member of the public when Dale Carter spoke against the proposal that would give county commissioners a cost-of-living adjustment.
Carter told commission members that he was also on the charter review commission until he resigned to run for county commissioner against District 4 incumbent Betsy Condon.
Carter argued that voters already rejected a salary increase for commissioners the last time they considered charter amendments in 2018.
“Why are we doing this?” he asked. “Three years ago, the voters voted for (this) not to be— to raise the salary. You’re back here doing the same thing, changing it and it looks as fishy as can be.”
The charter review commission has scheduled two additional public hearings for the proposed amendments, one on May 16 and a second on May 31, both at 7 p.m.
The panel will then hold a final meeting.
Clay County voters must approve any changes to the charter.
Proposed charter amendments
In addition to giving commissioners a cost-of-living adjustment, the commission is also considering changes to the county’s charter which would remove the term limits for constitutional officers and would change the frequency of the charter review commission from every four years to every eight years. Here are the three proposed amendments.
Charter Amendment for Cost of Living Increase to Salaries of Clay County Commissioners
Shall the Clay County Charter Article II, Section 2.2.C, be amended to include an annual cost of living increase to the current $37,000 per year salaries of Clay County Commissioners, based upon the federal consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, effective September 30, 2023, and thereafter adjusting annually for inflation? Yes or no.
Charter Amendment Removing Term Limit Provision for Elected County Constitutional Offices
Shall the Clay County Charter Article III, Section 3.1 be amended to remove existing term limits of three consecutive four-year terms, for the constitutional offices of the County Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Supervisor of Elections, following the November 2022 General Election? Yes or No.
Charter Amendment Revising Appointment of Charter Review Commission
Shall the Clay County Charter Article IV, Section 4.2.B, be amended to change the appointment of the Charter Review Commission from every four years to every eight years following the November 2022 General Election? Yes or no.
