Charter change could create extended stints for city’s elected officials

Washington’s City Council, during its meeting Monday, is scheduled to discuss possibly amending the city’s charter, which could lead to staggered, four-year terms for council members and the mayor.

City Attorney Franz Holscher, according to the council’s tentative agenda, will participate in that discussion.

During the council’s Jan. 26 meeting, the issue of four-year terms came up. The council decided to hold a public hearing on the issue. A date for the hearing has not been set.

Supporters of staggered, four-year terms said such a system provides for continuity on the council. Under the existing two-year terms, it is possible for the sitting mayor and all council members to be defeated in an election and replaced with people who have no experience as an elected official.

Councilman Doug Mercer said he supports the existing two-year terms for the mayor and council members.

The city’s charter spells out the terms for the mayor and council members. Currently, the mayor and council members serve two-year terms. They are elected in odd-numbered years. The next mayoral and council election is later this year. Filings for those elections begins in July.

State law does not allow staggered two-year terms. State law allows four-year terms and that all terms need not expire the same year.

To allow the mayor and council members to serve four-year terms, the city’s charter would have to be changed. There are several ways the charter can be changed, including having the N.C. General Assembly change the charter. Then there is the charter-change statute, which allows specific changes to a city’s charter.

A council that wishes to propose and adopt a charter amendment under the charter change statute must follow six discrete steps, which are set out in state law:

• Adopt a resolution of intent. The first step is to adopt a resolution of intent, describing the change or changes proposed by council.

• Call a public hearing. At the same time it adopts the resolution of intent, the council must call a public hearing, which must be held within 45 days after adoption of the resolution of intent.

• Adopt the ordinance. After the hearing, but no earlier than the council’s next regular meeting, the council may adopt an ordinance amending the charter.

• Hold the public hearing. At the appointed time, the council must hold the public hearing.

• Adopt the ordinance. After the hearing, but no earlier than the council’s next regular meeting, the council may adopt an ordinance amending the charter.

��� Publish notice of the ordinance. Within 10 days after the ordinance is adopted, the city must publish notice of that fact, summarizing the contents and effect of the ordinance.

The council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. To view the council’s agenda for a specific meeting, visit the city’s web­site at www.washingtonnc.gov, click “Government” then “City Council” heading, then click “Meeting Agendas” on the menu to the right. Then click on the date for the appropriate agenda.