No mayor. No town council. What's the outlook for the Town of Reddick?
REDDICK — Residents of this small town gathered Thursday night at the Community Center, 4345 NW 152nd St., to talk, ask questions, hear answers, and offer solutions for the future of their community.
The meeting was called to address the resignation of the mayor and all members of the Town Council. The resignations were in response to the new requirement to file Form 6, a financial disclosure form that requires them to publicly list all assets and liabilities of more than $1,000.
Town Clerk Marjorie Stroup, the only town representative; her husband, former longtime Mayor Jim Stroup; and former town lawyer Randy Klein sat at the front of the meeting room Thursday and led the gathering.
Among some of the more than three dozen people who filled the hall were McIntosh Mayor Marshall Roddy, former Reddick Mayor John Vetter and former council President Steve Rogers.
Here are some of the questions posed by the audience and answers given:
What's the current status of the Town of Reddick? As it stands now, there's no town because you need at least three council members and a mayor for a government. Most municipalities have an attorney that represents them. Since there's no government, then there's no lawyer. Klein has continued to offer his time to the community.
The town clerk has the ability to sign checks, so therefore the town's bills can be paid and the municipality can remain functioning, even though there's no government.
What can be done to form a government? There's a qualifying period from Jan. 22-27 for any town resident interested in serving on the council. To be eligible, candidates must have lived in the city for six months, have no felonies, and be 21 or older. There's no salary for the job.
Interested applicants can get a packet from either the town clerk's office or the Supervisor of Elections Office.
What happens after applications are received? The paperwork is reviewed at the Supervisor of Elections Office for verification.
Does Form 6 affects candidates? Yes. If he or she qualifies for the ballot, he or she must fill out the form.
Is there an election? Yes, three slots are up for grabs. The election is in early April. If three people and a mayor are on council, then they could appoint two others.
What happens if no one qualifies? The Florida Legislature can dissolve the town. From there, the county could take over the town and it would be similar to other places in Marion County like Anthony, Summerfield or sections of The Villages.
What are the advantage of having a town? An incorporated town controls its own finances and has more control over local issues. Of those in attendance Thursday, a majority expressed a desire for Reddick to remain incorporated.
Presently, the population is close to 500 and the annual budget is $250,000 to $280,000. Revenue sources include gas tax and revenue sharing from the state. The town is one of the few places in Florida without a city tax, Rogers said.
The city provides essential services such as street lights and garbage collection.
How has the introduction of Form 6 affected other areas? Yes. Locally, the Town of McIntosh had four of its five council members resign, leaving the mayor and one council representative. In the city of Dunnellon, the mayor and a council member also decided to step down.
Statewide, more than 400 elected officials have so far left office, according to the Marion County NAACP branch President Bishop J. David Stockton III. Roddy said they're trying to recruit people for the job, but so far no takers.
Can the Form 6 requirement be repealed? Klein said some people lobbied lawmakers not to enact the requirement; however, they were unsuccessful. He said he was told it appears lawmakers may not want to revisit the issue. He said anything can happen.
Roddy said there's a Marion County Day in Tallahassee next month, during the legislative session, and urged everyone to join them there to talk to local leaders and others to revisit the issue.
One woman in attendance Thursday wondered whether the law has a useful loophole. Others said small communities greatly affected by the Form 6 fallout could file a class-action lawsuit. For now, the law appears to be here to stay.
Earlier coverage: Four of the five McIntosh Town Council members have resigned
Rogers said town projects already in the pipeline can continue. For instance, he said the county is still interested in building a playground in the town. Vetter apologized for leaving early and wished the legislature would've given more thought before requiring that the form be filed during someone's term in office.
Contact Austin L. Miller austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Reddick: Form 6 opponents don't want to lose their town. Can they win?
