A Better South Walton (ABSW) is pleased to announce the next stage of incorporation has begun with the submission of the completed charter to the Florida State Legislature.
Creation of the charter began several months ago as part of the overall decision to explore solutions for the rapid expansion of South Walton. After a comprehensive feasibility study identified the area as a prime candidate for incorporation, the charter was drafted as a next step in determining the framework for the proposed new government.
Multiple charter workshops were held in recent months to gather feedback from the community and incorporate key ideas into the draft charter for inclusion in the full version. Several key components of the charter were updated to include residents’ ideas for improvement, such as:
- Creating term limits for council members of two consecutive terms
- Modifying the vice mayor’s term to two years
- Defining the replacement process for council members who move out of their district prior to their term’s end
- Modifying the required Council vote needed to levy a municipal ad valorem tax to require a supermajority vote to levy or increase an ad valorem tax rather than to levy or change an ad valorem tax
- Limiting maximum municipal ad valorem taxes to 2.5 mills
- Requiring a runoff election if no council candidate receives a majority vote for a particular seat during regular elections
- Allowing council members to increase their salaries, but restricting these changes to take effect two years after the next council election
With the charter and its submission complete, the next step on the path to incorporation is the creation and filing of a local bill containing the charter into the legislative process by South Walton’s State Representative. This local bill will include a request for a local vote by the residents of South Walton on whether or not to incorporate.
“The suggestions made by the residents of South Walton have greatly strengthened the charter and made pivotal improvements to the proposed governing framework,” states David Pleat, president of A Better South Walton. “We are proud of our neighbors’ commitment to bettering South Walton and their support in preserving and sustaining our unique way of life.”
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