[CGC] Petition Drive to Increase Centreville Town Council to Five Members Commences

[vmzsbodt@centreville-md.net]

  A group of Centreville townsfolk, led by Jerry Schram, has begun a
petition drive to increase the Town Council of Centreville from three
to five members.  Collecting the signatures of 20 percent of the
registered voters of the town will bring the issue to referendum
unless the Town Council agrees to amend the Charter themselves.

  Jerry thinks ?The time to do this is now.  Although the other
issues, such as creating wards, changing the length of office, or
having an elected mayor can be explored in due time by a committee to
be appointed by the Town Council, we believe that increasing the Town
Council to five members is independent of those issues.?

  Data from the Maryland Municipal League shows that Centreville is
the only town on the Eastern Shore with a population of over 1,000
persons that has three council members.  It is estimated by the U.S.
Census Bureau that Centreville?s population was 2,534 in 2004.

  Andrew Langer, one of the proponents of the petition drive, had
this to say ?Given the challenges that our town has faced, currently
faces, and will face in the future, the Town Council must be expanded
now.  It's a good-government measure that will reduce liability,
increase accountability, and position our leaders to better serve the
public.?

  Since it will take months to complete the petition drive, verify
signatures, hold a referendum, and advertise the Charter change, the
group felt it was necessary to start now so the candidates for the
new council positions will have adequate time to campaign.  It is
hoped that the Town Council will accept the change to five members,
so the election for new members would held at the same time as
regular Town Council election in April of 2007.  This would also
negate the need for a separate referendum or a special election.

  Another member of the group, Tim McCluskey said, ?We believe that
there is significant citizen support to expand the council from three
to five members.  We feel that this petition will be well received by
the citizens, and we look forward to presenting it to the town
council with an overwhelming number of signatures.?

  The following is the text of the Charter amendment that will
increase the Town Council to five members (NOTE -- NEW MATERIAL IS
_UNDERLINED_; MATERIAL TO BE DELETED IS IN ((DOUBLE PARENTHESES)) ):

  Section 201. Number of Councilmembers; Selection; Term

               All powers of the town are vested in a council
consisting of ((three)) _five_ councilmembers who shall be elected as
hereinafter provided and who shall hold office for a term of three
years or until the succeeding councilmember takes office. The regular
term of councilmembers shall expire on the second Thursday following
the election of their successors. Councilmembers holding office at
the time this charter becomes effective shall continue to hold office
for the term for which they were elected and until the succeeding
council takes office under the provisions of this charter.

              _The three sitting members of the Council shall
continue the terms to which they were elected. A special election
shall be held not less than forty nor more than sixty days following
the effective date of this Charter amendment to fill one new
councilmember seat with a term that expires in April of 2008 and one
new councilmember seat with a term that expires in April of 2009. All
successive terms for the newly created councilmember seats shall be
for three years._

  For more information, or to help with the petition drive, contact
Jerry Schram at 410-758-3861 or jerrys1 at verizon.net[1]

Links:
------
[1] mailto:jerrys1 at verizon.net

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