2022-10 Election Results City Charter Referendum RESOLUTION NO. 2022-10
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE,FLORIDA;ACCEPTING THE
OFFICIAL RESULTS FROM THE OKEECHOBEE COUNTY CANVASSING
BOARD FOR THE REFERENDUM QUESTION ON THE 2022 GENERAL CITY
ELECTION BALLOT AND DECLARING THE RESULTS THEREOF;PROVIDING
FOR OTHER RELATED MATTERS; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING
FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on July 19, 2022, by virtue of the provisions of the Charter of the City of Okeechobee
and Florida State Law, Mayor Watford proclaimed and declared that a General City Election
will be held on November 8,2022, by the qualified voters to consider whether to approve the
revisions to the revised Charter by Referendum; and
WHEREAS, the wording for the Referendum to appear on the ballot and the proposed revised
Charter language was adopted by the City Council of the City of Okeechobee, in Ordinance
No. 1253 at a final public hearing date held June 6, 2022; and
WHEREAS, as provided in the Elections Chapter, Section 26-4 (1) of Part II of the Code of
Ordinances, when it is necessary for a Referendum to occur in a year in which the State
holds a general election, the Referendum is to be considered on the date of the November
general election. The wording for the ballot was submitted and accepted by Okeechobee
County Supervisor of Elections on September 7, 2022; and
WHEREAS, the City entered into an Agreement on August 1, 2006, with the Okeechobee County
Supervisor of Elections, which sets forth the provisions for the City General Elections to be
held in coordination with the County's Election, and submit such results to the City Council
for official acceptance; and
WHEREAS,the Canvassing Board Official Results dated November 18,2022,and signed by William
Wallace, County Judge; Melissa Arnold, County Supervisor of Elections; and Terry
Burroughs, Board of County Commissioners Chairperson; declare that the Referendum set
forth below on the Proposed Revision of the City Charter for the City of Okeechobee, held
November 8, 2022, was approved by the electorate of the City of Okeechobee.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved before the City Council for the City of Okeechobee, Florida;
presented at a duly advertised public meeting; and passed by majority vote of the City
Council; and properly executed by the Mayor or designee, as Chief Presiding Officer for the
City:
Section 1. Recitals. The foregoing "WHEREAS" clauses are ratified and confirmed as
being true and correct and are made a specific part of this Resolution.
Section 2. Election Results.The Official Results from the Okeechobee County Canvassing
Board for the 2022 General City Election Referendum Question. Statement of Votes Cast
provided by the Okeechobee County Supervisor of Elections, with 45.59 percent voter
participation of the 3,139 registered City voters as of October 11, 2022, are as follows:
Revision of the City Charter for the City of Okeechobee, Florida
Shall the Charter for the City of Okeechobee be updated and revised to (i)
incorporate a Citizens'Bill of Rights; (ii)update and modernize the City Charter; (iii)
codify a number of charter-type provisions in the City Code of Ordinance, but not in
the City Charter; (iv)eliminate provisions that are obsolete or inconsistent with state
law and municipal governance; and (v) render the City Clerk office from an elective
position to an appointive position.
Yes Votes: No Votes:
RESOLUTION No. 2022-10, PAGE 1 OF 2
Votes by Precinct(No. 6): 366 201
Votes By Mail: 190 111
Early Voting: 273 180
Provisional Ballots: 0 0
TOTAL VOTES: 829 492
PERCENTAGE: 62.76% 37.24%
Section 3. Acceptance, declaration of results. The City Council hereby accepts the
Official Results from the Okeechobee County Canvassing Board for the 2022 General City
Election Referendum Question and declares the 2022 General City Election Referendum
Question approved.
Section 4. Effective dates of specific Sections of the revised Charter.
As authorized by Ordinance No. 1253,Section C-3.5,City Clerk,does not become effective
until January 4,2027.The remainder of the revised Charter shall take effect on December 1,
2022.
Section 5. Codification of revised Charter. The City Clerk is hereby instructed to submit
the revised Charter to be codified as Part I of the Code of Ordinances.
Section 6. Conflicts.All Resolution or parts of Resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
Section 7. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of
this Resolution,or application hereof,is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any
court of competent jurisdiction,such portion or provision and such holding shall not affect the
validity of the remaining portions or applications here.
Section 8. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED in Regular Session this 20th day of December 2022.
,VA /
Dowling R. W ord, Jr1., Mayor
ATTEST:
Ni.0 6 0._..
Lane amiotea, CM ,City Clerk
REVIEWED FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
— Jo n J. Fumero, City Attorney
RESOLUTION No. 2022-10, PAGE 2 OF 2