SANFORD - One month ago the majority of those on the county's Charter Review team rejected a proposal to add a comptroller to the lineup of Seminole County's constitutional officers. On Wednesday, another vote rejected that rejection.

Saying that he had heard sufficient argument to compel him to change his original choice, Charles Champion made the motion to cast another vote. This time, seven of 12 charter reviewers, said they advocated a comptroller's office.

The five who were opposed called Champion's motion "inappropriate" and "ludicrous."

Commissioner Sandi Rauch was among those upset at what occurred. "Frankly, I'm tired of his (Champion's) shenanigans," she said. "This was totally out of line. How far would you get if you pulled the lever at the voting poll and then came back saying you made a mistake and wanted to vote again?"

Bob Poe shrugged his shoulders, "This is "ludicrous."

Champion, who was hand picked for the charter group by District 1 County Commissioner Grant Maloy, did not identify those who had encouraged him to vote differently on what Rauch said is the "hottest topic" to come before the board.

At last month's charter meeting, County Chairman Carlton Henly told the charter group that he did not favor a comptroller's office but did believe that the county manager's office should assume some of the financial duties now conducted by Clerk of the Court Maryanne Morse.

A leader of the Seminole County Libertarian Party, Champion said he was "opposed" to Big Government, opposed to yet another elected official coming into the Seminole County Government.

"But as much as I want to reduce government, I want to see things run more smoothly," Champion said on Wednesday. "Our current method with the clerk of the court doing everything may not be what's best. Frankly, I'm not that clear which way to go."

Deputy County Clerk of the Court Bob Lewis, who attended the charter review session, said he expected Champion or someone else to come up with a "more subtle" method to renege on the April vote.

"This was incredibly ham-handed," Lewis said. "I suspect Mr. Champion got some big-time pressure."

The comptroller issue was not on Wednesday's agenda for the charter team, which voted unanimously to reduce the salaries of county commissioners from $66,594 to $49,945 - thus putting this proposal up to county residents.

Champion, a late arrival to Wednesday's meeting, came up with his comptroller's office proposal just as the meeting was about to close. Jimmy Ross, who advocates adding a comptroller, quickly seconded the motion.

Poe and Streetman objected even more quickly.

"A duck is a duck is a duck," Poe said. "This matter is over with. Done."

"I have no problem taking the vote again," charter review chairman Doug Elam said.

"This is a democracy," Ross said. "I don't mind it."

Poe pleaded to table the issue until the three absent charter review members were present.

"They surely would have juggled their schedules if they knew this was going to happen," Raunch said.

Orange County is the only county in the state of Florida to have a comptroller. During hearings on the issue last month, officials estimated that it would cost approximately $1 million to establish a comptroller office.

SANFORD - One month ago the majority of those on the county's Charter Review team rejected a proposal to add a comptroller to the lineup of Seminole County's constitutional officers. On Wednesday, another vote rejected that rejection.

Saying that he had heard sufficient argument to compel him to change his original choice, Charles Champion made the motion to cast another vote. This time, seven of 12 charter reviewers, said they advocated a comptroller's office.

The five who were opposed called Champion's motion "inappropriate" and "ludicrous."

Commissioner Sandi Rauch was among those upset at what occurred. "Frankly, I'm tired of his (Champion's) shenanigans," she said. "This was totally out of line. How far would you get if you pulled the lever at the voting poll and then came back saying you made a mistake and wanted to vote again?"

Bob Poe shrugged his shoulders, "This is "ludicrous."

Champion, who was hand picked for the charter group by District 1 County Commissioner Grant Maloy, did not identify those who had encouraged him to vote differently on what Rauch said is the "hottest topic" to come before the board.

At last month's charter meeting, County Chairman Carlton Henly told the charter group that he did not favor a comptroller's office but did believe that the county manager's office should assume some of the financial duties now conducted by Clerk of the Court Maryanne Morse.

A leader of the Seminole County Libertarian Party, Champion said he was "opposed" to Big Government, opposed to yet another elected official coming into the Seminole County Government.

"But as much as I want to reduce government, I want to see things run more smoothly," Champion said on Wednesday. "Our current method with the clerk of the court doing everything may not be what's best. Frankly, I'm not that clear which way to go."

Deputy County Clerk of the Court Bob Lewis, who attended the charter review session, said he expected Champion or someone else to come up with a "more subtle" method to renege on the April vote.

"This was incredibly ham-handed," Lewis said. "I suspect Mr. Champion got some big-time pressure."

The comptroller issue was not on Wednesday's agenda for the charter team, which voted unanimously to reduce the salaries of county commissioners from $66,594 to $49,945 - thus putting this proposal up to county residents.

Champion, a late arrival to Wednesday's meeting, came up with his comptroller's office proposal just as the meeting was about to close. Jimmy Ross, who advocates adding a comptroller, quickly seconded the motion.

Poe and Streetman objected even more quickly.

"A duck is a duck is a duck," Poe said. "This matter is over with. Done."

"I have no problem taking the vote again," charter review chairman Doug Elam said.

"This is a democracy," Ross said. "I don't mind it."

Poe pleaded to table the issue until the three absent charter review members were present.

"They surely would have juggled their schedules if they knew this was going to happen," Raunch said.

Orange County is the only county in the state of Florida to have a comptroller. During hearings on the issue last month, officials estimated that it would cost approximately $1 million to establish a comptroller office.