Sixty-one years after it was founded by a handful of citrus growers to protect the northern barrier island from reckless development, Orchid recently approved a new town charter.

Only about 25 percent of the town’s 531 registered voters cast ballots, but those who voted in the Feb. 24 referendum were nearly unanimous, with only three lonely no votes, according to town officials.

The charter is the town’s “foundational legal document, addressing basic, but important aspects of its structure, powers and procedures,” according to the town website, serving as a rulebook “for this small local government charged with meeting unique local needs.

“The charter was last wholly updated back in 1988. While several piecemeal adjustments have been made since then, the charter hasn’t enjoyed a full, all-inclusive review in nearly four decades. A lot about the Town has changed in that time!”

The rewritten charter is intended to “better reflect the current community, clarify and reorganize existing provisions, streamline processes, incorporate new best practices, and align the charter with state law,” explains Town Manager Cherry Stowe, adding that it was presented as a single ballot question, “following robust community involvement and an effective outreach process,” including discussions in town council meetings beginning last spring.

Stowe said turnout wasn’t greater because “this big clean-up effort of the charter was likely considered non-controversial.

“Certainly, 100 percent participation would have been fantastic, but I’m told by election experts that voter turnout of 25 percent for a local charter referendum is actually rather good.

“Helpfully, vote-by-mail was available for this election and was in fact a very popular choice, and voters did also have the option on Election Day at Orchid’s usual polling place.”

Since its establishment with just seven registered voters in 1965, the Town of Orchid has elected 11 mayors and, since its first one in 1990, hired six town managers, including Stowe, who served as town clerk for five years before being promoted to town manager in December 2021, following the resignation of Noah Powers. During her time in both positions, Stowe recognized ways the charter could be improved.

One important change in the updated document has to do with “filling vacancies on the town council,” Stowe said.

“The previous language was ambiguous and left unintended gaps. The new language was carefully crafted to ensure clarity in all scenarios regarding when a vacancy occurs, both in terms of the term affected and the timing within the election cycle. While it is not anticipated that this section will be needed often, its new precision and thoroughness should be very useful when it is needed.”

Preceding the vote, via its website and other channels, the town carefully crossed all T’s and dotted all I’s, informing residents that the new charter would have no direct impact on businesses within the town and would not result in new charges or fees for residents, or additional compliance costs for the town.

Stowe said the smooth process and successful outcome of the charter reform resulted from a strong team effort.

“Mayor Gibbons, the town council, the town attorney, the town clerk and I all worked on it,” she said.

“Residents played an important role, too, not just by casting a ballot, but by engaging with the subject in advance of the vote, giving feedback, and asking questions.”