The Town of Lewisville on Monday held a public hearing on whether to place a charter amendment on the ballot that would change some council seats to staggered terms, with no action taken by the council at the meeting.

Town staff said that, if the referendum passes, staggered terms would take effect at the regular municipal election in 2027: the three winning council candidates with the highest vote totals would serve four-year terms, the three with the lowest totals would serve two-year terms, and the mayor would be elected to a two-year term in 2027. Town staff also told the council that if the referendum fails, all seats would remain two-year terms under the existing charter.

During the public hearing, resident Fred Franklin urged the council to retain the current two-year terms and said he was not persuaded staggered four-year terms would ‘‘accomplish anything’’ for the town. Franklin noted recent state election-law changes and urged caution: "I'm still not convinced that going to 4 year staggered terms will accomplish anything because I'm not sure what you're wanting to accomplish," he told the council.

Franklin also presented a chart of historical council service and raised hypothetical scenarios about election timing and seat turnover under a staggered system. Council members and staff did not vote on the ordinance at the meeting; staff said an ordinance formally amending the charter will be brought back for council action at the regular meeting in February, and — if adopted by the council — the amendment would proceed to a voter referendum as required by the charter amendment process.

The public hearing drew additional brief comments from residents in favor and opposed to the change; the mayor and council members asked clarifying questions about timing and mechanics. Town staff advised that the February meeting will include a formal ordinance for council consideration that would set the precise mechanics for the staggered-term transition.

The hearing was informational; no ordinance vote or final council action occurred during the session. The council scheduled further consideration of the ordinance for its February meeting, at which the council may vote to place the charter amendment before voters.