MIRAMAR--While most city commissioners favor creating a charter review committee to discuss districting, the process will not be done in time to affect next year's election.

The City Commission officially discussed amending the charter on Wednesday night, after continuous requests from residents who said the city needs to ensure representation from all its districts.

Commissioner Marjorie Conlan, Vice Mayor Fitzroy Salesman and Mayor Lori Moseley said they would support creation of a committee to review and recommend changes to the "antiquated" charter, which has not been changed in more than 49 years.

The charter is the equivalent of the city's constitution.

"I'm not in a hurry to have a charter review [committee] put a few ideas together just to meet an election date," Salesman said.

Commissioners Winston Barnes and George Pedlar said they need more time before deciding the proper way to update the charter. They asked City Attorney Jamie Cole to provide copies of other city charters before they make a decision.

The mayor and the three commissioners elected in March of last year promised that, if elected, they would consider instituting single-member districts, where commissioners would need to live in the same area they represent.

Depending on how the lines are drawn, several commissioners could be forced to run against each other.

City Manager Bob Payton asked commissioners to commit to a time frame. Because it's so close to an election, he said, he feared the process could be "bastardized" by politics.

"This charter review is pure politics," Payton said.

Commissioners agreed to review other charters and meet again May 19. The charter review process would take about 24 months to complete, Cole said.

(source) Sun Sentinel (Milton D. Carrero Galarza) 3-07-04