Currents March 2020 Mar 2020 _Currents web | Page 5

Currents
March 2020
> continued from page 3
MISSIONER TERMS OF OFFICE
This amendment would extend the City Commis-
sion terms from two years to four years.
On the pro side, it would allow consistency in the
running of the city government instead of having
commissioners consistently running for re-election
with the resulting frequent turn-over and upheaval. It
would also cost the city less as elections would be
held half as frequently. Commissioners would theo-
retically have a more long term focus and would be
more likely to see projects
through from initial vote to com-
pletion.
On the con side, if you want to
get someone out of office it will
take up to four years to do so
instead of the current two.
Elected officials may feel less
obliged to answer to their con-
stituents needs if they don’t have
to worry about an upcoming elec-
tion.
I see the benefits of the
change and also of keeping
things as they are (every two
years). I think I will be voting NO,
keeping terms at two years simply
because in such a rapidly evolv-
ing city, four years seems like a
long time to me.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
#3: STAGGER TERMS
You’d vote for odd numbered
district commissioners in odd
years and even numbered district
commissioners in even years (I
think).
PRO: Since the entire City
Commission wouldn’t be up for
election at once, it would prevent
the city from having all “rookie”
commissioners elected at the
same time and would allow for
more consistency and experience
while also mixing in new people
and new ideas more frequently.
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