West Haven charter commission rejects four-year council term; endorses keeping two-year seats

The West Haven Charter Revision Commission voted 5–3 on July 16 to recommend retaining two-year terms for city council members, rejecting a City Council recommendation to move council terms to four years.

Commissioners debated the tradeoffs between stability and voter accountability. Some commissioners said four-year terms could allow longer-term planning and reduce the frequency of campaigning, while others argued voters should have separate questions on the ballot and that a four-year council cycle could imperil turnout if bundled improperly. "My only issue with going to a 4 year right now... without a commitment from the city council that it's going to be a separate question on the ballot... that could sink the rest of our recommendations," one commissioner said.

Council liaison (speaker 11) and other commissioners noted an informal straw poll at a prior council conferral indicated council members might support separating referendum questions by office. Commission counsel clarified that the commission's role is to recommend; the city council decides how to place questions on the ballot.

A motion to recommend keeping the two-year term was made, discussed and then decided by roll-call. The tally, as recorded in the meeting, was 5 yes, 3 no. Commissioners recorded as voting yes were Garlock, Gilbert, Hoskie, Tagliatelle and Chairman Arthur Kelly; commissioners recorded as voting no were Idarola, Mancini and Perry. After the vote the chairman confirmed the motion passed and the commission will forward its recommendation to the city council.

The decision changes the commission's earlier draft recommendation only insofar as it rejects the council's alternate proposal; the city council will now consider the full commission report and decide how to present referendum questions to voters.