Term Limit Debate Gets Tense at SH City Commission Meeting


The recommendation by Safety Harborโs Charter Review Committee to place term limits on advisory board members led to a lengthy, and at times heated, discussion during the City Commission meeting Monday night.
The amendment to Article V, Section 42 of the charter would place a term limit on advisory board members of two full terms, require a break from service for one full year prior to being reappointed, and provide for an exception if no qualified applications are received.
At the previous commission meeting on November 17, Mayor Andy Steingold said he believed the real issue was with the composition of the cityโs Planning and Zoning Board, and he proposed separating that aspect from the charter.
The commission revisited that angle again on Monday night, with Mayor Steingold reiterating his suggestion to remove the item from the charter and address each advisory board composition on an individual basis via resolutions.
โThe board that everybody wants to serve on is planning and zoning,โ he said. โThere always seems to be applications in the waiting for that particular board. So it may be appropriate to initiate or at least change the resolution.โ
โI think to have a charter amendment across the board, to have limitations in the charter, I donโt know if thatโs the way to go.โ
The commissioners went back and forth on the issue, with Commissioner Andy Zodrow stating he would like to see term limits for the P&Z board, Commissioner Rick Blake saying he wants more criteria for board members, Vice Mayor Cliff Merz saying he would like to see consistency across all boards, and Commissioner Carlos Diaz agreeing with Mayor Steingold on removing the item from the charter.
โI think the issue is with the planning and zoning board, so why not address that problem and focus on that?โ Diaz suggested.
When it came time for the public to speak on the issue, thatโs when things got a little heated.

Outspoken Safety Harbor resident Jim Barge took the podium, and he pulled no punches.
โCommissioner Merz asked whatโs driving this, so letโs just take the elephant out of the room,โ Barge began. โMost, not all, of the people sitting in City Hall today, from a residentโs perspective, they just have a personal axe to grind with Joe Faw of Bay to Bay Properties.โ
โThese folks donโt like Bay to Bay Properties. Itโs that simple,โ he continued. โBecause he took a tree down behind the Chevron? So just call it what it is, thereโs an axe to grind. They donโt like Joe Faw, plain and simple.โ
Barge, a business owner who recently set up a fundraiser to help the Mattie Williams Center, then leveled some serious accusations at a couple of commissioners.
โI hate to say it but some, not all, but some of the folks in the audience are puppeteers, and thereโs two people on the stage and theyโre puppets,โ he said.
โAnd Iโm glad that Commissioners Blake, Diaz and Merz see through the nonsense. Because I donโt feel that the ten people that have your ear are representative of the 17,000 people that live in the city of Safety Harbor. And I do think itโs your job as commissioners to represent all 17,000 citizens of the city, to meet in the middle, and not to allow any extremism on either side, pro development or anti development, run the city. I donโt think thatโs healthy.โ
After Bargeโs speech, a obviously agitated Mayor Steingold addressed his comments.

โLet me address some of your hits at some of the people up here, myself and Mr. Zodrow,โ he said. โNumber one, you claim thereโs extremists on one side and my experience with you is youโre an extremist on the other side.โ
โNumber two, thereโs no one up here whoโs a puppeteer. We all act independently, make our decisions, and we take public input,โ he added. โWe donโt jump just because people say jump. We have to look at the welfare and the well being of the city. Thatโs what weโve been elected to do. So I donโt agree with your statements. I think theyโre not fair and theyโre disingenuous.โ
Following that exchange, a number of members of the Charter Review Committee came forward to explain their reasoning behind imposing the term limits, stating it had nothing to do with certain individuals or particular boards.
โI have no idea who is on the planning and zoning board,โ Mattie Williams director Janet Hooper said. โThatโs not the issue for me. The issue is trying to get more people involved with City government.โ
Ultimately the commission decided to approve the charter amendments as recommended in Ordinance 2014-20, with the exception of the advisory board term limits.
That issue will be broken off into a separate item and addressed at the next commission meeting on December 15.
Related:
- SHCC Makes Decisions On City Manager, Term Limit Issues
- Charter Review Committee Recommendations Met With Much Debate
Note: Commissioner Rick Blake owns the parent company of Safety Harbor Connect.
touchรฉ
well put, Laura
It is really sad to me that an adult shows an example of BULLYING at a public meeting. There is no reason for that. Letโs stick to the fact. There are people on a board for over 17 years. That is just not right for anyone. If Jim Barge would like to join us the next time I do an Anti Bully Program, โOne Heartโ, let me know. I feel he would get a lot from it.
Mr. Barge hit the nail on the head.