Contrary to what you may have heard, the words, “First, Do No Harm,” are not part of the Hippocratic Oath.
The phrase came to mind last week after I watched SNN’s story on the city Charter Review Committee’s decision to endorse Sarasota city residents electing a weak mayor, rather than having our five city commissioners selecting one of their own to serve one-year terms in the ceremonial position.
Follow along as I lay out the committee’s grand plan. The mayor would serve a four-year term. They would be one of two at-large members of the City Commission and will vote with the now four city commissioners on all matters before them. As a “weak” mayor, she or he would not have administrative duties. That power still resides in the office of city manager Marlon Brown, who remains the adult in the room, (thankfully). Rather, the new four-year mayor, would show up at ribbon cuttings, read proclamations, ride in parades, maybe kiss babies—post COVID. Sounds pretty much like what the current mayor does, yes?
The brilliance in the committee’s thought-process? One-year terms are too short for us to remember the mayor’s name. By electing a ceremonial mayor to a four-year term, we’ll have plenty time to get to know them and love them!
Or, not.
The Charter Review Committee had an opportunity make things better for city residents. Right now, a city of 60-thousand residents is represented by three commissioners elected by district and two at large. Rather than screwing around with the mayor’s term-length, which will in no way improve the governance of the city of Sarasota, it should have added commissioners, thus improving representation for city residents and reducing the chance of two or three bad apples taking the commission into the weeds, as happened more times than I care to recall during my 16 years here at SNN.
The Charter Review Committee should have recommended no changes. Would have taken courage. Instead, they took a scene straight out of a Mel Brooks film in which they had to do something as if to protect they phony-baloney jobs.
If anything, this lipstick on a pig approach will further confuse city residents. Hey, we have a new Mayor! So, what do they do? Do they run things or does City Manager Marlon Brown? No. Because they are a weak mayor. What’s that mean?
Sometime next year city commissioners will decide if this new and improved weak mayor proposal goes before city voters on the November eighth, 2022 ballot.
City Commissioners, first, do no harm. There’s another way to put that, but I can’t say it on TV. We’ll stay on top of this and keep you informed.
That’s how we view things during this week before Christmas. I’m Craig Burdick. Thanks for watching SNN, THE Suncoast News Network.
