Staggered terms adopted in Waynesville
This year’s election for seats on Waynesville’s Board of Aldermen — recently re-styled as “Town Council” — will proceed with a new sense of urgency after council members voted to enact a long-sought change in how they’re elected.
Until now, Waynesville was one of the few governments in the region to elect all seats on council at the same time, every four years. Although unlikely, such a regimen means that it’s possible an entire board can be voted out, all at once.
That outcome could have troubling consequences in terms of productivity and efficiency, as staff struggle to bring new members up to speed on the town’s many issues and ongoing projects.
The change to staggered terms has been discussed for years, but never really gained any traction until a discussion at the town’s February planning retreat.
To start the transition to staggered terms, this year’s election will result in two tiers of terms. Of the four seats up for election, the top two candidates will earn four-year terms. The next two finishers will earn two-year terms. Then, in 2025, the winners of the two-year terms will have the opportunity to run for four-year terms, thus setting up the “every two years” staggering.
The office of mayor will not be affected by the change.
