Thursday's Hollywood Charter Review Commission Meeting at 6 PM

Not sure If I'll be there for this since it conflicts with the Pelecanos hearing in Hallandale Beach.

For more information, go to http://www.hollywoodfl.org/html/charter_review.htm

As most of you who read this site regularly know, CRC member Sara Case mentioned below is also the editor of the reform-minded citizen advocacy website, The Balance Sheet Online,
an invaluable source of information on what's happening in and around Hollywood.
http://www.balancesheetonline.com/
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City of Hollywood, Florida Office of the City Manager

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2008

Contact: Raelin Storey, Public Affairs and Marketing Director

Phone: 954. 921.3098 Fax: 954.921.3314 Cell: 954.812.0975

E-mail: rstorey@hollywoodfl.org

Charter Review Committee to Host Public Input Meeting
Opportunity for residents to weigh in on the City Charter

HOLLYWOOD, FL - The City of Hollywood Charter Review Committee is seeking input from residents on the topics to be considered during the Committee's review of the City Charter.

The Committee will host a Public Input Meeting on Thursday, November 6, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the new Boulevard Heights Community Center, located a 6770 Garfield Street.

This is the second in a series of three meetings to hear from community members on this important topic.

A third public input meeting will be held on January 8 at the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center.

In November 2007, the City Commission established a Charter Review Committee to examine the City's Charter and make recommendations for additions, changes and deletions.

The Committee must make its recommendations to the City Commission by November 2009 for review to determine which ones will be put before voters in a future election, most likely in 2010.

The 11 member Charter Review Committee is comprised of the following individuals: Gary Bagliebter, Kevin Biederman, Miya Burt-Stewart, Terry Cantrell, Sara Case, Gregory Green, Gerald Gunzburger, Charles Howell, Lawrence Legg, Siobhan McLaughlin and Andy Rogow.

For media inquiries, please contact Raelin Storey, Director of Public Affairs, at 954.921.3098. For meeting information, please contact Lorie Mertens-Black, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, at 954.921.3201.
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South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Hollywood CRC's first meeting
By Ihosvani Rodriguez
May 18, 2008

During election season earlier this year, plenty of politicians were promising major changes to city government.

But the real changes may be the work of a newly appointed group of Hollywood residents.

City commissioners earlier this month appointed nine members to the new Charter Review Board, a group that will comb the city's constitution and recommend changes.

The city last updated its charter 10 years ago.

Among the issues the board will be looking at: term limits, lobbying and ethics reforms and staggered terms for elected officials.

Activist Sara Case, who will represent the beach and downtown areas on the board, said those are some of the issues she wants her group to tackle immediately.

"The major problems we have had over the years have been term limits and ethics," Case said.
"I think our charter is deficient in all of those areas."

She noted the previous mayor, Mara Giulianti, held office for about 20 years and a former commissioner, Cathy Anderson, served for more than 30 years.

In addition to Case in District 1, the members selected are: city activist and motivational speaker Miya Burt-Stewart, District 2; accountant Charles Howell, District 3; attorney Gary Bagliebter, District 4; Central Broward Water Control District Commissioner Kevin Biederman, District 5; mortgage broker Andy Rogow, District 6; corporate executive Gregory Greene, citywide; retired engineer Gerald Gunzberger, citywide; accountant Lawrence Legg, citywide.

The group could start meeting as early as next month.

The board's deadline to report its recommendations to the commission is Nov. 30, 2009. The commission will review the recommendations and vote on possible 2010 ballot proposals.Hollywood voters will have the final word.

Initially, only 16 people submitted applications. A second call for applicants brought in dozens of residents willing to sit through the process.

"We have an unbelievable amount of good, quality people who have stepped forward," Mayor Peter Bober said at the May 7 commission meeting.

"I wish there was a way to appoint everyone."

There were so many applicants, in fact, that commission members said they want to add two more members later this year.

First, they will need to amend and pass an ordinance to increase the membership limit.