KINGWOOD — Some Kingwood Council members would like to see terms staggered, if they go to four years.
At its last meeting, council voted 4-1 to proceed with changes to city code to allow elections to be held at the same time as the county and to change the length of council terms from two to four years. Councilman Michael Lipscomb was alone in the nay column and Councilman Josh Fields absent.
At that meeting, Lipscomb said four years was “a big commitment.” On March 13, Fields suggested not electing the entire council at the same time.
“I think we should look at staggered terms so there’s some continuity on the council in case there’s a clean sweep, like there almost was last year,” Fields said.
City attorney Sheila Williams also updated council on what’s needed to change the election. It is not as simple as changing city code, Williams said. Instead, city voters must agree to the change. She suggested putting the question on the November ballot.
No action was taken on getting the election change — with or without staggered terms — onto the November ballot.
