Council debates charter change; staff to draft ballot language on elected officials' benefits

City Attorney Lynchford briefed the council on the legal constraints imposed by the charter (section 5A) and noted that Tennessee Code Annotated 8‑27‑601 authorizes municipalities to allow elected members to participate in municipal benefit programs. Lynchford said changing salary or benefits language in the charter requires a referendum and recommended preparing precise ballot language rather than rescinding existing resolutions in isolation.

Council members debated scope and timing. Several members said they prefer a narrow referendum limited to the mayor and members of the city council so the ballot question is easier for voters to parse; others asked whether the city court clerk and city judge should be included and were told the judge’s term and the clerk’s term timing would affect when changes take effect.

Vice Mayor Tyler and others supported a charter amendment that would allow elected officials to opt into city health benefits only at the full cost to the official; several council members said they favor keeping taxpayer cost neutral for part‑time council seats. Staff confirmed that, if council directs it, an ordinance calling for a November referendum and exact charter language could be prepared and submitted to the election commission by the August deadline.

No referendum language was adopted at the meeting; the council directed staff to draft specific ordinance and ballot text for future consideration. The city attorney said if the referendum passes, he would recommend later formally rescinding earlier resolutions only to avoid inconsistent archived documents.