Public records access. Regular checkups of the city's financial health. Procedures for awarding multi-year contracts.

These are among the issues brought up by residents at a town hall Monday to suggest tweaks to South Miami's charter.

Charter review committee member Charles Ruiz de Castilla described the 37-page document as ``a rulebook for all elected officials. It defines what we are as a city and how we govern.''

Despite several advertisements of the meeting, turnout was low.

Sharon McCain addressed the eight-member committee first, saying that it takes too long to get public records requests filled.

``I made a request for the salaries of the staff in the city manager's office and it took 30 days,'' she said. ``It shouldn't take a month.''

McCain also said the city should set aside money every few years to pay for a thorough forensic audit of its books. Mayors shouldn't be able to serve for more than four years, she added.

Brad Cassel, former head of the city's pension board, said the procedure to approve multi-annual contracts for vendors needs amending to allow for a public hearing before commissioners vote on such contracts.

While the contracts once were approved by ordinance -- which entail two readings including public hearings -- city residents changed that through a 2006 ballot question.

That change made it possible to move multi-annual contracts forward by resolution, which requires only one reading.

A return to the ordinance method would afford the public more opportunities to speak its mind on contracts, he said.

``We should pull all the changes made to the charter in the past and make sure they are properly codified before making any new changes,'' Cassel added.

Committee member and former commissioner Janet Launcelott said such a job should be done by city staff rather than the committee.

``It would be a monumental task,'' she said.

The charter was written in 1927 and has undergone dozens of changes in its 82-year history.

Resident Yvonne Beckman asked that future ballot questions be phrased in ``plain language, not legalese'' and that the city ``democratize'' its process for appointing members of South Miami's various boards and committees.

As it stands now, only the mayor can choose candidates for boards, though the whole commission must vote on the appointments.

Beckman suggested it would be better if all commission members can nominate people to boards or committees.

Javier Baños, the city's current pension board chairman, said the city needs to assign someone on staff with executive powers who can step in if a city manager abruptly quits or is fired, as in the case of former manager Ajibola Balogun, until a new one is found.

Committee members took notes while attendees gave their suggestions. The charter review process is scheduled to continue through May.

At the end of the process, the committee will present proposed changes to the commission.

If commissioners approve a particular revision, it would be referred to voters in next November's election.

``The people are the final arbiters,'' said committee chairman Subrata Basu.

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