TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa city councilmembers and the mayor are at odds over proposed changes to the city’s charter.
The council recently approved changes to clarify the process for appointing department heads.
The move comes following the mayor’s selection and forced resignation of Tampa’s former Police Chief Mary O’Connor.
Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak explains that residents, “were livid that they didn’t get a say in the process because she was able to put in an interim and say ‘oh, she’s starting the job already.’ City council hadn’t gotten to its approval process yet.'”
The proposed amendment would require the council to approve the mayor’s nomination. If they don’t approve, the mayor would then have 90 days to nominate a new candidate.
Mayor Castor is pushing back against the idea. She vetoed the amendment. A memo regarding the veto says in part: ‘In a strong Mayor form of government, Council members should be a check on the Mayor’s appointment authority – but should not wrest control of that authority.’
Hurtak said, “I think the vetoes basically telling the public that they shouldn’t have a right to vote on these issues.”
According to Hurtak, councilmembers will be voting on whether to override the Mayor’s veto at Thursday morning’s meeting.
The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m.
