Two of the three proposed Lakeland Charter Amendments were approved Tuesday night. The public referendum that would have changed the legal process to sell the municipal-owned Lakeland Electric or the city’s water plants was rejected with 64% of votes against the change.
Charter Amendment #2 found strong support of 61% of voters in favor of stricter term limits of 12 years in office, regardless of position.
Charter Amendment #1
“Do you favor an amendment to the Lakeland City Charter eliminating unnecessary or obsolete references and provisions; amending any gender-related references; adopting applicable state law provisions; providing periodic commissioner pay adjustments similar to city employees; eliminating reduction in force provisions; creating a charter review committee and providing a periodic charter review process every 8 years; delegating regulation of taxi cabs to the City Commission; eliminating obsolete references to the Hospital Board?”
Voters narrowly approved Charter Amendment #1, resulting in the first widespread revision to Lakeland’s city charter. There were 51.9%, or 5,215 votes, for versus 48.1%, or 4,834 votes, against the change.
Charter Amendment #2
“Do you favor an amendment to the Lakeland City charter that reduces the maximum allowable terms of city commissioners and mayor from 4 terms to 3; defining a term as any service in office over 2 years; allowing existing incumbent commissioners to serve a total of 4 terms as a commissioner and mayor combined?”
Stricter term limits for Lakeland’s elected officials sailed through receiving 65% of voters’ approval, versus 34% who were against.
All elected officials taking office in 2020 or later will be limited to serving a maximum of three terms, or 12 years, regardless of office. Any individual who serves more than two years of a term will have it counted toward one of their three terms in office.
This change does not apply to commissioners and the mayor who are currently in office.
Charter Amendment #3
“Do you favor an amendment to the Lakeland City Charter that changes the approval necessary to sell any water plant or electric utility from the existing requirement of 2/3 of all electors qualified to vote to 2/3 vote of the City Commission and 65% of those actually voting in the next general election following City Commission approval?”
There were 64% of votes, or 6,476 ballots received, against changing the Lakeland city charter with regards to Lakeland Electric. By comparison, only 35% of voters supported it.