At last night’s meeting, the City Council voted on two referendum proposals.
Council approves unanimously two ballot questions with respect to whether voters support 1) two – or four-year terms for Mayor and Council and 2) staggered or concurrent terms for Council in the case of four-year terms. Late last year, the Council created a Charter Review Commission to evaluate the pros and cons of lengthening the term for the office of Mayor and Councilmembers to four years, solicit resident input on the matter, conduct other research as deemed appropriate and desirable by the Commission. The Commission surveyed several residents about the term extension. A good majority of residents rejected the itea of extending Council term.
Another motion to table the adoption of the ordinance 19-O-11 until the Mayor and Council refer the financing for the new City Hall to an advisory referendum, on the upcoming November 5, 2019, election, was rejected by 3-5 votes. Council members Kabir, Mitchel, and Kujawa voted in support of the referendum. A petition with around 200 signatures asking for the referendum was submitted before last night’s vote. Several residents also spoke in support of the referendum.