The Fruitland Park Commission on Thursday accepted recommendations from the Charter Review Committee which could be the next step toward placing a referendum on the November ballot.
A referendum would seek voter approval to draw up five districts in the city for representation on the city commission. Such a change to the city’s charter would require voter approval.
The next step would be for an ordinance to be drawn up which would incorporate the committee’s recommendations for a formal vote by the commission.
Changing the charter would be a pre-emptive move prior to the construction of 2,000 new homes in the Villages of Fruitland Park which could bring 4,000 new voters to the city.
The city would move from at-large representation to district representation which would provide some level of protection for existing residents and commissioners. A mayor would be chosen by commissioners.
Although the committee has been working with draft maps of the possible districts, the official district boundaries would not be approved until after the vote on the referendum.
Mayor Christopher Bell thanked committee chair George “Mackie” McCabe for his work on the charter recommendations and invited McCabe and committee members to return to a future meeting to receive formal thanks for their work.