City asking voters to decide commissioner term lengths
LAKE WORTH — Two or three years? How long should Lake Worth city commissioners serve?
Looks like that question will be answered by voters when they cast their ballots at the March 14 municipal general election.
By a unanimous vote on first reading at Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved placing a charter referendum on the next election ballot. Commissioners currently serve two-year terms.
“I like the idea of putting it out for public vote,” said Commissioner Ryan Maier. “I ’ m g l ad we don’t have to make this decision ourselves.”
Candidates running for mayor and commissioner from Districts 1 and 3 would begin ser ving three -year terms in March 2018. Threeyear terms for candidates running for commissioner from Districts 2 and 3 would start in March 2019.
The ordinance doesn’t extend the term for any current commissioner. A public hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 10. After that, a final vote will be taken before the ordinance goes into effect.
Commissioner Andy Amoroso made a motion to extend the term to four years, but no one seconded it.
“I hear a lot from the community on three years and four years,” Amoroso said. “I hear a lot more about four years.”
Commissioner Christopher McVoy said the city should consider term limits.
“Longer terms is not something I hear about,” he said. “I do hear from the public from time to time on do we have term limits ... it might be something to consider.”
Mayor Pam Triolo said she didn’t have any preference on two- or three-year terms.
“I see both sides,” Triolo said. “The hardest part is the learning curve on governmental accounting and budgeting. That first year is a bear and it takes time to adjust.” Super Bowl quarterback. I’ve got big plans.”
Then, he said, Paul turned pale. A nurse took him off for tests. At the time, one of the nation’s premier heart specialists was driving by the hospital and heard the page. After examining Paul, he told his new parents, “If he doesn’t have five heart surgeries in the next few days, he’s going to die.”
Baier said his first reaction was anger; then: “Why is this happening to me? Why is this happening to us?”
He said he and his wife, Amy, prayed for help before the first surgery on the newborn, which took eight hours. He teared up Wednesday, and had to stop for several minutes, as he recalled seeing Paul, his chest still open to deal with swelling and his beating heart visible under a plastic bandage.
“I t c h a n g e s y o u r l i f e ; changes your perspective,” Baier said. “There i s thi s heart that is only beating because the doctors changed it. And because God looked down and blessed us.”
H e r e c a l l e d h i s s o n recently asking about the surgeries he still faces. He said he told Paul: “God has a plan for you. And you are Joseph Karp succeeding with flying colors.” Paul, he said, “looked at me and said, ‘OK, Daddy.’ ”
Faith “can be behind the scenes or it can be out front. But as long as it helps you, that’s what really matters,” said Baier, who received a standing ovation.