Charter Commission Hears From Original Authors

The Metro Charter Commission held a public hearing on Mayor Bill Purcell’s proposal to limit future Nashville mayors to serving two four-year terms.

However, no members of the public showed up to make comments. But several of the original charter authors presented the logic behind term limits and the number of council members.

George Cate served as Metro’s first vice mayor. Cate says a mayor can be more productive by serving more than two terms, but he admits that the current wording is ambiguous.

“The charter has been amended very little. The charter commission did a hard job putting it together to begin with, and it has served us well. So I do think we do have to look carefully at proposed amendments.”

“I think there is right now, not a lot of interest in some changes. Something has to happen to make people upset, angry or something. Otherwise if things are rocking along fairly well, they don’t get too involved in issues of this kind of structure.”

The Charter Commission will meet again January 31 to take public comment on Mayor Purcell’s proposal to cut the 40-member council down to 20.

However, no members of the public showed up to make comments. But several of the original charter authors presented the logic behind term limits and the number of council members.

George Cate served as Metro’s first vice mayor. Cate says a mayor can be more productive by serving more than two terms, but he admits that the current wording is ambiguous.

“The charter has been amended very little. The charter commission did a hard job putting it together to begin with, and it has served us well. So I do think we do have to look carefully at proposed amendments.”

“I think there is right now, not a lot of interest in some changes. Something has to happen to make people upset, angry or something. Otherwise if things are rocking along fairly well, they don’t get too involved in issues of this kind of structure.”

The Charter Commission will meet again January 31 to take public comment on Mayor Purcell’s proposal to cut the 40-member council down to 20.