In February, South Miami voters will decide whether a new way of choosing board and committee members becomes law.

The city commission unanimously approved an ordinance on Tuesday that, if approved by voters, would allow each commissioner to appoint one person to five-member city boards and committees.

If a board has more than five members, any member past the first five would be chosen through three affirmative votes by the commission. If it has fewer than five members, all would be chosen by three affirmative votes.

Currently, the mayor selects all candidates for the city's boards and committees. The boards include the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board, the Environmental Review and Preservation Board and the Planning Board.

The mayor's nominees are selected from a pool of applicants. Commissioners then vote on the nominees. Those who receive three or more ``yes'' votes serve a two-year term on a particular board or committee.

Several residents spoke in favor of the ordinance, sponsored by Commissioner Lew Sellars.

``This is sorely needed,'' said Yvonne Beckman, adding that she feels it's wrong for board members to be chosen ``unilaterally, with no regard to the diversity of the community.''

Sharon McCain said it would be positive to ``take power away from the mayor.''

Both Mayor Horace Feliu and Commissioner Velma Palmer balked at approving the measure. Palmer said the measure should be incorporated into the charter review process, now under way.

Beckman, who lost a board position after her unsuccessful commission run in early 2008, said the issue needs to go before voters as soon as possible.

At one point, Commissioner Valerie Newman brought up the concern of how to replace a board member who quit. ``There are no provisions for replacing vacancies,'' she said.

City Attorney Laurence Feingold suggested the ordinance be amended to stipulate that any board vacancies must be filled in the same way they were filled previously.

Both Feliu, who said he ``believes in compromise,'' and Palmer reconsidered, and voted ``yes'' along with their fellow commissioners.

The measure's fate is now in the voters' hands. The measure will appear as a ballot question in the city's Feb. 9 general election.

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