March 21, 2024

On March 21, 2024, I was privileged to represent the LWV of Alachua County at an important city commission meeting. Our League followed HB 1645, introduced by a state legislator as a local bill, that was passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor in 2023. The bill removed governance of Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) from our local elected officials and turned it over to governor appointed members of an authority with virtually no oversight, as is usually required. That bill became a part of the city charter, Article VII. Since the authority has been in charge, chaos has reigned with GRU and the relationship of GRU with the city. Chaos culminated when a judge responded to a suit and verified that the authority members did not meet basic residency requirements.

A coalition of local leaders and organizations, including the League, the Alachua County Labor Coalition, Gainesville Residents United and unions worked together to pose an ask of the city commission. A law, statute 166.031, gives the city commission the authority to place a referendum to change the city charter on a general election ballot. Therefore, at the March 21 meeting, with the League as the defenders of democracy and the lead organization, over 30 people attended the city commission meeting. As the LWVAC president, I made the initial speech and asked the commissioners to create a referendum that would repeal Article VII, thus returning governance of GRU to local leadership. Twenty-two other speakers followed suit. At the conclusion, there was a unanimous vote by six commissioners to create an ordinance to become a referendum on an upcoming election. (Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker was absent.) The city attorney will draft an ordinance that will have two readings and, if the commission continues to support it, will become a ballot referendum.

This was a proud moment for our League, our partners and our community. We are returning democracy and home rule to Gainesville. Our league will continue to closely follow the process with the goal of allowing voters to decide governance of GRU, a valuable city asset. Stay tuned as details unfold.

A recording of the meeting is available. If you care to watch it, my speech begins at 1:43:14.