In West Miami, yes to reworking the mayor’s duties and no to larger travel budgets

West Miami voters split on two amendments to the city charter.

The town of about 8,000 people had no candidates on the ballot, only the two charter amendments, which drew little debate.

West Miami Referendum 1 would have allowed the town to pay certain expenses for commissioners when they travel on city business. Currently the charter says city money can’t be used to pay “for attendance at seminars, conventions, dinners, for lobbying purposes or for other such uses.” The amendment would have allowed city money to be used for those purposes. With all precincts reporting, the referendum failed 53 percent to 47 percent.

The charter requires approval of travel expenses by at least four of the five commission members; that would not have changed if the referendum had passed.

Referendum 2 changes the section of the city charter that delineates the mayor’s responsibilities. The mayor will no longer have to sign contracts, deeds and other documents — a requirement dating from when the city had a strong-mayor form of government, with the mayor as the city’s chief administrator. The city changed its form of government in the 1980s, but didn’t update that section of the charter. Referendum 2 passed 67 percent to 33 percent.

Mayor Eduardo Muhiña said he recommended the change after he requested a personal loan and the bank inquired about all of the previous loans he had signed in the name of the city. The issue was resolved, but Muhiña proposed the charter change so it wouldn’t come up again.

About 2,000 people voted in the West Miami election.

This story was originally published November 6, 2018 at 8:39 PM.