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Commission debates changing Stow City council terms to four years, packaging amendments for ballot
Summary
The Charter Review Commission discussed proposals to change council terms from two years to four years (for ward and at‑large seats), whether to stagger terms, how to package related charter amendments for the ballot, and how to coordinate with Stow City Council and the Summit County Board of Elections.
Commissioners reviewed draft options for lengthening Stow City Council terms from two years to four years for at‑large and/or ward seats, and discussed ballot packaging, staggered terms and how the city should coordinate with the county board of elections.
Staff presented alternatives that would change both Section 21.08 (term limits) and Section 4.02 (council composition and term language). The briefing included staggered‑term options (for example, ward seats beginning four‑year terms in one election year and at‑large seats starting in a later odd year) and a draft approach that would amend both sections simultaneously or delete redundant language in Section 4.02 and defer term details to Section 21.
Commissioners focused on three process risks: (1) placing multiple interdependent charter changes on the ballot in separate questions could create contradictions if voters approve one item but not the companion item; (2) Stow City Council in prior cycles amended or declined to send past charter review recommendations to the ballot, and commissioners wanted to avoid a similar outcome; and (3) whether the Summit County Board of Elections (BOE) would accept a single-ballot question that amends multiple articles. Staff agreed to consult the BOE and to survey precedent from prior charter amendments (including a 2017 change that removed primary elections) to find how similar multi-article amendments were handled.
The commission also heard that Stow City Council had moved five charter amendment ordinances to first reading and then tabled them; commissioners noted that tableing constituted a first reading and that council has a window (discussed in the meeting) to continue consideration. Commissioners agreed to prepare a combined draft and to ask the BOE whether a single ballot measure could amend multiple charter sections, and to prioritize a subset of proposed changes so council and voters are not asked to consider too many items at once.
No amendment was sent to council at the May 1 meeting; commissioners scheduled public outreach (a town hall) and follow-up meetings to refine language and get BOE guidance before deciding which amendments to forward.
