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Council debates residency, property-owner voting and eligibility language in charter review
Summary
Councilmembers discussed restoring resident-only qualifications for appointments, clarifying how 'ratepayer' and property-owner voting works, and cleaning outdated ineligibility language (convictions/judgments); MTAS to return recommended wording.
During the Aug. 20 charter-review session, Shelbyville councilmembers spent substantial time debating residency and voter-qualification language that affects who may serve on appointed boards and who may register to vote as a property-owner within city wards.
Multiple councilmembers argued that the charter should be clarified to prefer resident appointees and to limit property-owner voting that allows nonresidents to influence local elections. One participant characterized property-owner voting as potentially unfair: "it flies back at the old Jim Crow laws," a councilmember said while urging changes to voter-qualification language.
Council members also raised concern about several archaic ineligibility clauses — such as those referencing unpaid judgments or vaguely defined "offenses declared infamous by law" — and asked Marsh and MTAS legal staff to recommend modernized, clearer wording that distinguishes between felony convictions and routine civil judgments.
Marsh agreed to consult MTAS legal counsel and return proposed language the council can review. No formal changes were adopted at the session.
