What to know as Southport proposes changes to voter representation, mayoral terms
Southport could be the next Brunswick County municipality to change its charter.
The effort began as a move to give the city's mayor a four-year term. Other towns, including Oak Island and Leland, have changed their charters in recent years to allow for four-year mayoral terms.
It could also lead to the elimination of the city's two wards, which currently keeps the Board of Alderman equally represented by ward.
Here are 5 things you need to know about the issue.
When was this first proposed?
The issue first came up during the board’s workshop goals and planning workshop in January. Then it was placed on the board’s February agenda where it was tabled. The board discussed it again during its agenda meeting on March 3.
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What is the procedure for changing the mayoral term?
City attorney Brady Herman presented the issue during the March 3 meeting. He explained the N.C. General Assembly has given municipalities the ability to change their charters. He explained to do this, the board would first have to adopt a resolution in a public meeting, set a notice of public hearing, and then hold a public hearing on the issue.
The board also has the choice to have the public vote on the charter amendment or approve the amendment on its own with the caveat that the public can petition for a vote if it is not stated in the ordinance. If the issue is subject to a vote, then 10 percent of the city’s registered voters must vote in favor of the ordinance.
The second alternative is to have the board request the N.C. General Assembly amend the charter, and the General Assembly can then request a public vote or send it through writers at the state level.
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Could the board make other changes to the charter?
The aldermen also discussed making other changes to the city’s charter, including eliminating the city’s wards. Currently, Southport is divided by Howe Street into two wards or districts. While voters cast ballots for both wards during municipal elections, the board must be comprised of three representatives from each ward.
The current charter has two city wards: Ward one encompasses the portion of the city east of Howe Street from the northern line of the city limits to the Cape Fear River, and ward two lying west from the northern border to the river.
Alderman Lowe Davis said she believed the ward system was “extremely complicated and hard to digest,” and suggested establishing a charter change advisory commission to explore several changes to the city’s charter instead of tackling it "piecemeal."
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What is the procedure for other charter changes?
Herman said changes other than the mayoral term would require local legislation from the North Carolina General Assembly.
What happens next?
Alderman Karen Mosteller said she felt the city had “enough irons in the fire” right now, and both she and alderman Rich Alt suggested removing the item from the March 9 meeting agenda.
But aldermen Tom Lombardi and John Allen said they wanted to see the issue move forward.
The board of aldermen was set to consider changing the mayoral term to four years during its March 9 regular meeting but unanimously approved a motion to remove the item from the agenda. Allen, one of the proponents of the change, said he did hope to see it move forward, but he wasn't sure when it would come back to the table for consideration.
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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: From representation to mayoral terms, Southport considers changes
