Century Charter Review Discusses Duties Of Mayor, Gender Neutral Pronouns And More

June 11, 2021

With just four of eight members present, the Century Charter Review Committee dove headfirst into a section by section review of the town’s charter Thursday evening. The committee is tasked with updating the charter — the document that legally  establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate.

During their review, committee members discussed how council members could be removed from office, and how they might be penalized for missing too many meetings, including the possible forfeiture of some portion of their salary.

Member Kathryn Fleming suggested that the document be updated to use gender neutral pronouns; it currently contains numerous male pronouns.

The charter review committee briefly discussed the duties of the town’s mayor and the possibility of moving most of them to a city manager.

The Century Charter Review Committee will continue their work on July 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Century Community Center on West Highway 4 at Industrial Boulevard.

Committee members Brenda Spencer, Shelisa Abraham, Leslie Howington and Helen Mincy were absent from the meeting Thursday.

Pictured top: Century Charter Review Committee members (L-R) Michelle Cunningham, Kathryn Fleming and Evelyn Hammond listen to discussion Thursday night. Pictured below: Committee Chair Mary Bourgeois and consultant Buz Eddy. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

24 Responses to “Century Charter Review Discusses Duties Of Mayor, Gender Neutral Pronouns And More”

  1. James on June 14th, 2021 1:36 pm

    Maybe you should get the crack heads off the street frist and make it safe for kids walking

  2. DH on June 14th, 2021 1:34 pm

    Thank you Charter Committee members for volunteering to meet for updating and rewriting the town Charter. Not everyone understands that updates are as simple as pronoun or other word changes and as complex as process and responsibilities changes. You give your and you listen to positive and negative comments. Thank you for your service.

  3. David Huie Green on June 13th, 2021 4:58 pm

    MEDITATING UPON:
    “I have been addressing those people as it for decades.”

    Or “those people.”

    “Those people” are sure to love it. “It”? Hmmm, this could lead to confusion.

    AND
    “if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I’m thinking it’s a DUCK!”

    Duck!! Another potential winner!!

    Hmmm, not sure my cousin Donnie Green will buy into it. He’s a mite old-fashioned and accustomed to calling his beloved (and tolerant) wife “Goose.” (Don’t ask me why. I’m the most normal member of my family…and THAT says a LOT!!)

    Regardless, times are good when THIS is the most pressing concern!!

    David for better times

  4. sam on June 13th, 2021 3:13 pm

    gender neutral pro nouns? guess i’m too old for that one. if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I’m thinking it’s a DUCK!

  5. Anne on June 13th, 2021 8:13 am

    @ Quinn Elliott….
    AGREE 100% with the silliness of that “Birthing Person” and removal of Personal Pronouns….
    So, what will the title of “Mother-in-Law / Father-in-Law” become?
    “Father’s Day” is coming up on June 20th pray tell what will the idiot re-namers call that?
    Hallmark must be very busy trying to redo their greeting cards…
    Or, is all this a diversion to keep focus off other things going on behind the scenes?

  6. Quinn Elliott on June 12th, 2021 8:48 pm

    Stick to the tried and true scheme of man and woman and all will be well. Wonder if the parents of those Charter Review Committee members had a problem with identifying a man or woman? Shucks, even Julius Caesar knew the difference for sure, and he chased and caught the wily and seductive Cleopatra because he knew the difference. I understand that the preferred “Woke” term for a lady is now “birthing people” (it’s in the far outlandish Biden budget proposal). Yes sir, no more ma, mom, mama, mother, ma-ma etc, nope gonna be a birthing person or people!! Man and Woman has worked for thousands and thousands of years, this lunacy has been birthed within maybe 6 or so years. Unsure what the new Woke term is for a man! Stupidity knows no bounds. Maybe the people of Century will insure sanity in this regard.

  7. ProudArmyParent on June 12th, 2021 8:23 pm

    Might I suggest that the Town of Century has bigger problems than gender neutral pronouns!

  8. Duke of Wawbeek on June 12th, 2021 6:07 pm

    I have been addressing those people as it for decades.

    No problems here, what’s the big deal now?

  9. PcolaNative on June 12th, 2021 5:33 pm

    Really DISGUSTING display of “wokeness”.

  10. bewildered on June 12th, 2021 12:54 pm

    do new parents really call their newborn an “it”? Oh you have such a beautiful little IT? Glad I am old

  11. David Huie Green on June 12th, 2021 7:00 am

    REGARDING:
    “On top of that, the “charter committee” is figuring out how to take power away from the mayor.”

    Perfectly reasonable. Some think anything you can get away with is fine. They need to know there are standards of conduct demanded — or not, that not showing up for work is hunky dory, actions likely to get the town sued are acceptable, anything goes — if that’s what they want to keep.

    And go to he/she/it and him/her/it in place of he and him, respectively. And rotate within the list lest any think he is preferable to she and she is preferable to it. (Cousin It has feelings, too, you may assume.) so next time use she/it/he then it/he/she or her/it/him then it/him/her. OR BETTER YET Randomly pick from the list for first place then randomly pick from the remaining two for second place they whoever/whatever remains for third.

    David for better its
    (bear with me, this is going to take some practice)

  12. Elizabeth on June 11th, 2021 9:11 pm

    Ah, yes… with all the bigger fish to worry about in Century, let’s consider gender neutral pronouns.

  13. Chris on June 11th, 2021 8:55 pm

    Seems like the town govt cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. On top of that, the “charter committee” is figuring out how to take power away from the mayor.
    Century is a joke.

  14. Burnt Corn former resident on June 11th, 2021 12:59 pm

    @james. I’m with you on this one. Does anyone remember all the scandals in gulf breeze within their water and sewer departments and the back door schemes with surrounding small towns? It sure seems this could be the beginning of that same blue print.

    Buzz showing up to these charter meetings is a direct signal to the mayor that he thinks that he can’t walk and chew gum at the same time without his buddy taking the lead and doing the heavy lifting. And who pays for him to show up? Then again, it could just be Gulf Breeze politics 2.0 spilling into Century.

    Folks keep your eyes open on how this unfolds. Mr. Boutwell we support you and keep the progress going!

  15. EMD on June 11th, 2021 12:34 pm

    I am sure gender neutral pronouns are the problem in Century. NOT……………….. That is not the problem anywhere. If evolution improves things, why has most of the world become so very stupid? “Proclaiming themselves(the world) to be wise, have become fools.” Has the majority usually been right about what works?

  16. James on June 11th, 2021 10:35 am

    Good thing Buz Eddy is there to help the committee navigate items they may not be familiar with, such as how much power should be removed from the mayor and given to the city manager. Does anyone else hear the slither of a snake?!

  17. DK on June 11th, 2021 9:28 am

    Can’t even do simple math?Now this Good Luck?

  18. tax payer on June 11th, 2021 7:57 am

    “committee members discussed how council members could be removed from office, and how they might be penalized for missing too many meetings, including the possible forfeiture of some portion of their salary”

    if you miss 3 meetings in a calendar year you are removed and replaced, covers the salary part also!!!!!!!!!!!

    You miss a meeting you loose that months pay, sort and sweet.

  19. SueB on June 11th, 2021 7:32 am

    Use words like “shall” a imperative command. Use words like “should” desirable but not mandatory. Use word like “may” a choice to act or not. Words like Him, Her, He, She, or It doesn’t matter.

  20. Anne on June 11th, 2021 6:15 am

    “Member Kathryn Fleming suggested that the document be updated to use gender neutral pronouns; it currently contains numerous male pronouns.”

    Uh, Century has many other issues to worry over and get headed in the right directions that should be much more important than being “Gender Neutral”.

    Time to take Century out of Neutral and put it into Drive and move forward.
    4 of 8 members attended….that alone shows the interest paid to this Century Charter Review Committee.

    Would Ms. Fleming feel the same if the “…numerous male pronouns.” were numdrous Female Pronouns? Whole thing is just silly. Do your Job no matter how you “identify”….for Cat’s Sake.

  21. JustSaying on June 11th, 2021 6:10 am

    Just get to business, quit being offended by gender slang! Get over it, it’s just a term! Be secure in yourself and quit worrying about words! God created MAN!
    That means all of us.

  22. Jt on June 11th, 2021 5:51 am

    Ahhhh yes. Century is burning and they need to spend the time to make sure not to use gendered pronouns. I was hoping for better for Century but looks like more of the same.

  23. Denbroc on June 11th, 2021 4:24 am

    Look at Century trying to be all California with gender neutral pronouns!

  24. DB on June 11th, 2021 3:19 am

    Lord help Century. Every day we read about the problems in Century and to this board, the most pressing problem is gender pronouns?