Metro Council Approves Charter Amendments

Davidson County voters will be given the choice this fall to limit the Mayor’s term to two years. It was one of five amendments to Metro’s Charter that passed the Council last night.

Amendments changing the city’s governing document have to pass Metro Council before going on the ballot to be decided by voters.

Sylvan Park Councilman John Summers had a proposal to get rid of the at-large positions to reduce council to 35 members.

“If you’re going to reduce the size of council, I think you have less impact on the issue of representation by eliminating the at-large than you do eliminating the district seats and making the district seats larger.”

Summers’ proposal failed, which was more generous than Mayor Bill Purcell’s original recommendation to cut council in half to 20. That proposal died in May. Several council members did say that based on the amount of phone calls and emails they’re getting from constituents who want council reduced, the issue will likely be back.

Other amendments on November’s ballot include one to require the Mayor to give his annual state of the state address at a council-sponsored event, and another to establish an independent audit department for Metro government.