When voters in two Beaches communities head to the polls on Nov. 5, they’ll get to decide on several local charter updates (on top of local council races, state and federal offices and state constitutional amendments).

Jax Beach Charter questions

In Jacksonville Beach, one measure would omit gender references in the City Charter, allowing the document to refer to positions in gender-neutral terms. 

For one thing, the charter refers to the mayor as “him” and “he,” despite the fact that the office is currently held by a woman, Christine Hoffman, who is running for reelection against another woman, Georgette Dumont. 

Question 1: Approve to amend the charter by removing he/she, him/her and his/her gender references that are associated with job descriptions or duties in the city charter.

What does a yes do? A yes allows the city to remove all gender references associated with job descriptions or duties mentioned in the charter.

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The second question posed to Jax Beach voters has to do with what happens if the mayor’s office is left vacant.

“There are two sections of the charter that are in conflict with one another,” Jacksonville Beach City Manager Mark Staffapoulos explained at a recent Beaches Watch forum where he broke down the ballot questions for residents.

He says one section of the charter states that the mayor pro-tem shall fill a vacancy in the mayor’s position, but another section says City Council shall decide who fills a vacancy on the council.

“Since the mayor pro-tem and the mayor position are technically a position on council, they’re in conflict with one another,” Staffapoulos said. “So it has to be rectified.”

Question 2: Approve to amend the charter by deleting conflicting language to make it clear that if a vacancy occurs in the office of the mayor, the mayor pro-tem shall act as mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

What does a yes do? If a vacancy occurs prior to an election, the vice mayor is automatically elevated to mayor pro-tem to serve the remainder of the vacancy. City Council can then appoint someone to the open council seat left vacant by the vice mayor. 

Atlantic Beach Charter questions

In Atlantic Beach this year, voters will answer six questions, which the City Commission approved for ballots after a charter review committee recommended them. 

Atlantic Beach City Manager Bill Killingsworth calls the measures a mix of “meaningful” changes, “less meaningful” changes and “technical clean-ups” to the City Charter.

On the more impactful end of the spectrum: Voters could give the commission more power to protect local resources; place the power to sell park property in the hands of future voters; and increase the time commission candidates must live in the city before running for office.

“The committee felt that there was a need for elected officials to be more invested in the community,” Killingsworth says.

Here are all six measures, as they will appear on the ballot: 

Question 1: Shall the powers set forth in Section 9 of the Atlantic Beach City Charter be modified to add that the City cCmmission shall have the authority to, as permitted by law, protect and preserve the city’s beaches, marshes, maritime tree canopy and property through environmental stewardship be adopted?

What does a yes do? Provides the city commission with more power to help protect the area’s natural resources.

Question 2: Shall the City Commission election procedures set forth in sections 40 and 41 of the Atlantic Beach City charter be modified to add a requirement to hold primary elections when more than two candidates are running for the same commission seat, and further, that references to primary elections and the timing of newly elected commissioners taking their seat be added to sections 12, 14, and 39 of the charter be adopted?

What does a yes do? Killingsworth said this item ensures a final vote for a commission seat is always held during a November general election. So, if more than two candidates are running for a seat, there will be a primary election, with a runoff in November. And if just two candidates run, the election will be held in November.

Question 3: Shall the qualifications provisions, set forth in Section 6 of the Atlantic Beach City Charter, be modified to require that a full-time resident and elector seeking to run for City Commission must reside in the city of Atlantic Beach for at least four years, instead of two years, prior to qualification, be adopted?

What does a yes do? Increases the residency requirement for local candidates to four years, prior to filing to run for a seat on the commission.

Question 4: Shall the City Commission charter review committee procedures, set forth in Section 81 of the Atlantic Beach City Charter, be modified to clarify that the placement of any charter amendments are voted on in the general election, rather than the primary election to change the appointment timing of the charter review committee members to February, rather than January, and to change the legislative manner in which the City Commission considers charter amendments from resolution to ordinance be adopted? 

What does a yes do? A yes both makes certain that any ballot questions posed to voters will appear on November ballots; moves the date of charter review committee appointments back by a month; and changes charter amendments to full-fledged ordinances rather than resolutions. Killingsworth says this measure is mainly a clean-up of charter language.

Question 5: Shall the city clerk duties, set forth in Section 28 of the Atlantic Beach City Charter, be modified to clarify that the city clerk serves as the filing officer for city elections, and not as the supervisor of elections, be adopted?

What does a yes do? Killingsworth says this question corrects a wording error in the charter, referring to the city clerk as the “elections supervisor.” Still, a change to charter language must be approved by voters.

Question 6: Shall the power set forth in Section nine of the Atlantic Beach City Charter be modified to require that the sale or other disposition of public parks within the city be approved only through a referendum vote of the electors, instead of by a unanimous vote of the entire city commission, be adopted?

What does a yes do? A yes gives voters control of whether to sell or dispose of city park property. A no means the City Commission will continue to be responsible for whether to dispose of park property.

Beaches Watch, a nonpartisan nonprofit that encourages citizen engagement in local government, hosted the presentations this month to help residents better understand the questions expected to appear on their ballots. See a video of the full presentations.

Beaches Watch plans more election events:

• A Jacksonville Beach candidate forum is set for Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Jacksonville Beach Community Center, 2508 South Beach Parkway
• A Neptune Beach candidate form is set for Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Beaches Branch Library, 600 3rd St.
• An Atlantic Beach candidate forum is planned for Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. at Community Presbyterian Church, 150 Sherry Dr.