Members of University Park's council exchanged plenty of dialogue at Monday night’s public hearing, but their words amounted to an admitted confusion about exactly how they would amend the charter on election procedures before the end of the year.

“It’s very confusing,” said Ward 4 Councilmember Lenford Carey. “With these hearings you get multiple ideas. And it’s an interesting dynamic between council members…there’s no focus. It’s not clear.”

Ideas on the legislation lacked cohesion Monday night. They need to be separated and focused on individually, Carey suggested, being presented to the public in a language they can understand. The three basic ideas in the legislation include eliminating term limits, having concurrent elections, and deciding whether the newly-elected mayor should take office in May or June. 

Only five residents attended the hearing, leaving some councilmembers worried that they’re lacking the appropriate public input to move forward. Others are ready to vote on Dec 5.

“Most people who come to meetings disagree with what’s on the table,” said Ward 3 Councilmember Susan McPherson. If they’re not here, it’s likely there are fine with the legislation, she added.

With the same issues being rehashed and alternate ideas being bought up, the small public audience, many of whom voiced concern at the last hearing, scrutinized the legislation at hand. Cray advised the committee not to bundle the primary objectives of the legislation. 

With only one more hearing to go, residents were still split on terms of the election. Those interested in having term limits cited the complacency an elongated term can promote. They feel limits will force people to get active in the town, which is very unique on its own given its size.

As local resident Ed Lee put it, University Park seemed to be a rare municipality that enforces term limits.

“Don’t you think other towns would have picked up on the trend if it worked?” he asked.

The conclusion was based off his individual observations, but the council and other residents advised not to make comparisons to a larger town.

“We can’t compare this to Baltimore…even College Park,” Councilmember Jacqueline Bradley Chacon said.  

Having new elected officials take office regularly will impart a fresh outlook on the politics of the town, local resident Joanne Fletcher added.

“We are a very small group of people, a very small town,” Fletcher said. “You get people who can be cliquish [in a long term].”

Those in support of extending the limit touted the competence of an elected official. As of now, Mayor John Tabori has one year left to serve, with a number of projects still on his radar. Limiting terms might hinder future elected officials from fulfilling appropriate goals. Eliminating term limits would give residents the option of voting officials out. 

“I support elimination of term limits more for mayor more than a I do for the council,” Carey said.

What’s unique to the town is that the Mayor is also the chief administrator, taking on more responsibilities than usual.

“If you don’t have competence in that spot and continued competence in that spot, the town does not run well at all,” Carey continued. “It takes someone with experience and someone with some capability of getting things done. And when you have that, that person shouldn’t be limited by the number of terms.” 

The next hearing on November 21 will focus on compensation for elected officials.