Hubbard council narrowly votes down term extension ballot measure

July 7, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

HUBBARD

City council narrowly voted down a resolution to place a term extension measure on the Nov. 8 ballot.

If approved by voters, the measure would have extended the term lengths for city council members and the council president from two years to four.

A resolution to send that measure to the Trumbull County Board of Elections for placement on the general election ballot came up for final passage this week. Council effectively blocked that resolution, however, with a divided 3-3 vote.

Second Ward Councilman Timothy O’Hara did not attend Tuesday’s meeting. Council President William Williams Sr. may vote in the event of a tie, but he was also absent.

Fourth Ward Councilman Michael Toda, a sponsor of the resolution, voted in favor of the ballot measure along with 3rd Ward Councilwoman Lisha Baumiller and Councilman-at-large Justin Silvidi.

Toda said he believed longer terms would encourage more residents to run for office, reduce the costs of running elections and allow more time for governing rather than campaigning.

Baumiller echoed those sentiments, adding, “I’m very disappointed in council members that did not have faith in the voters of this community. We’re not just trying to shove this down anyone’s throats. We just want the residents and the taxpayers to make an educated decision for themselves.”

First Ward Councilman Benjamin Kyle joined Councilman at-large Jerome Crowe and Councilman-at-large Patton Gilliand in opposing the resolution.

Kyle, a former candidate for state representative, said his “No. 1 concern” was that the ballot measure did not include staggered terms, meaning that all council members would come up for re-election in the same year.

“I wanted to make sure that whatever path we went down, there would be a way to ensure the continuity and the experience of government,” he said.

Kyle declined to say whether he would support four-year council terms if they were staggered, saying he would need to research the issue further.

Currently, council’s two-year terms are not staggered. Mayoral and law director terms also are not staggered in Hubbard, though those officials serve four-year terms.