KINGWOOD — Kingwood voters will decide in June whether council terms will be altered one time in order that city elections can be held at the same time as county elections.
Council was scheduled to take the final vote Tuesday on a change to the town’s legislative enactment — similar to a charter — but former Mayor Jim Lobb filed a written objection, which by law means a vote is required in order to enact the change.
The change to the enactment was to allow council members who are elected in June 2019 to serve three years, rather than the current two years. That would bring the town’s next election in line with the next county election. Terms would revert to two years after that, unless council enacted other changes.
Council was told earlier Kingwood would save about $5,000 per election by having them in conjunction with the county. When the two are together, the town only has to pay half the salaries of poll workers in precincts within the town and a portion of the cost of ballot publication.
Lobb said council did not follow state code 8-4-8 requiring a public hearing, “not less than 30 days after the date of the first publication.” He said that notice of the change was published in the newspaper Nov. 13, and the hearing was Tuesday.
The code says that, if objections are received, council can drop the change or submit it to voters. A simple majority of those voting in the election is required for passage.
“I think that should be set for a vote before the citizens of Kingwood for a change in the charter,” Lobb said.
Recorder Bill Robertson said he understood Lobb’s legal concerns, “but I have to question — I mean — all we’re doing is more or less reorganizing the time we vote, and that’s all we’re doing. I question why the public would need to vote on something like that.”
“I question the motives for your objection, because you’re objecting on a technicality,” Councilman Mike Lipscomb said.
“I have no motives for it. The legal notice is incorrect,” Lobb responded. “It’s not a technicality if someone wants to come and sue the city later for it.”
Lipscomb moved to go to the second and final vote on the change but was unable to get a second. Councilman Joe Seese and Councilwoman Michelle Whetsell said the written objection meant council had to put the matter before voters.
“It’s a pointless waste of time,” Lipscomb said. He cast the sole vote against placing the matter on the ballot.
The change in term length is only a one-time thing, Robertson said.
City Clerk Mary Howell said she published the notice as she was told to do so by the city attorney.
June is also when voters elect council, the recorder and the mayor. Whetsell said that, “whatever council members are voted in during that election, they will serve that three-year term.”
Council has been discussing the change since at least February and requested public comment at that time, though it was not an official public hearing. No members of the public spoke at those earlier meetings regarding the proposed change.
