The Fort Walton Beach City Council approved three proposed charter amendments during their Tuesday meeting, which will now be placed on the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot. 

• The amendments, initially submitted by a group of citizens known as The FWB Watch Group, were certified by the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections on March 21, 2021.

The first amendment, titled “COMPENSATION TO ELECTED OFFICIALS,” would prohibit any elected official from receiving compensation, including salaries or other financial benefits, for services rendered to the City. The amendment would still allow for reimbursement of expenses incurred while performing their duties.

The second amendment, “SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS,” would prohibit the City from levying special assessments against any real property unless a majority of the owners of record approve such assessments. This amendment came about due to the Fire Assessment Fee passed back in 2019.

• The City Council considered two versions of this amendment, with the recommended version removing the language “or if existing be re-imposed” to ensure future flexibility in securing public financing.

Here’s the approved language:

“No special assessments shall be levied by the City against any real property unless the procedures to make such levy are first invoked by a Petition (prepared by the City Manager, at the direction of the City Council upon a vote directing the City Manager to do so) presented to all of the owners of record of the real property to be assessed by such special assessment, and then after such circulation to the real property owners, said Petition is then submitted by the City Manager to the City Council bearing the bona fide signatures of the majority of the owners of record of the real property to be assessed by such special assessment, as of the date of such submissions.”

The third amendment, “LIMITATION ON BUDGET INCREASES,” aims to limit annual budget expenditures. The original version proposed by The FWB Watch Group would limit increases to no more than 3% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less, without voter approval. 

City staff prepared multiple versions of the amendment, addressing exceptions for emergencies, capital expenditures, grant-funded projects, debt service payments, and other factors. Here were the 4 options discussed.

• Option One (Watch Group Version): This version limits total annual budgeted expenditures, including capital expenditures and repayment of municipal debt, to an increase from the prior year’s expenditures by the lesser of 3% or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It includes 12 exemptions for emergency expenses, grant-funded projects, tourist development tax funds, self-supporting enterprise funds, and more.
• Option Two (City Staff Version): This version limits all budgeted operating expenditures to an increase from the prior year’s expenditures by the then-current Federal C.O.L.A. (Consumer Price Index) per annum, subject to certain exceptions.
• Option Three (Recommended City Staff Version): This version limits all budgeted operating expenditures to an increase from the prior year’s expenditures by 3% and the then-current Federal C.O.L.A. (Consumer Price Index) per annum, subject to certain exceptions.
• Option Four (City Staff Version): This version limits all budgeted operating expenditures to an increase from the prior year’s expenditures by 3% or the then-current Federal C.O.L.A. (Consumer Price Index) per annum, subject to certain exceptions.

After back-and-forth discussion, the council moved forward with Option One, the Watch Group version.

The City Council will now advertise the ordinances for First Reading at the next available Council Meeting. If approved by a majority of Fort Walton Beach voters in the November 5, 2024 General Election, the amendments will become effective immediately and be incorporated into the City Charter.