Community Forum Addresses Charter Review Process

Commissioner Jess Santamaria held his monthly community forum on April 20 at the original Wellington Mall. The main topic was the content of and possible changes to the Palm Beach County Charter.

In essence, the charter is the county’s constitution, a document that spells out how county government will operate, by whom, and what services will be provided.

Assistant County Administrator Brad Merriman gave a PowerPoint presentation explaining some of the history of charter counties in Florida, how Palm Beach County’s charter differs from other Florida counties, provisions that residents may want to consider adding or changing, and a timeline for gathering public input and County Commission approval in order to place proposed amendments on the 2012 ballot.

County staff will be conducting a series of similar public meetings around the county this summer, dates and locations to be announced. Anyone wishing to read or review the existing county charter may download a copy online at: http://www.pbcgov.com/countycommissioners/pdf/charter.pdf