Voters to decide council terms, limits

A debate over how long City Council members should serve — and whether to limit their time in office — will now be settled at the ballot box.

The council voted Aug. 5 to place two proposed amendments to the city’s home rule charter on the Nov. 4 ballot, following recommendations from a charter review committee appointed earlier this year. One proposition will ask voters to increase council terms from two years to three years, while another will decide whether or not to impose a limit of four consecutive terms.

Council members voted 8-1 to advance the three-year term proposal, with Councilman Chuck Swain opposed.