Ellisville Considers Longer Terms for Council Members

If an idea proposed by Ellisville’s City Council moves forward, voters may soon decide whether to increase the length of city officials’ terms in office from three years to four years.

members discussed that possibility at an informal work session Wednesday evening led by Mayor Matt Pirrello, who also proposed moving mayoral elections to a year separate from aldermanic elections.

Pirrello said most 3rd and 4th class and non-chartered municipalities have elected officials who serve two-year terms. Pirrello said, however, that those officials are extra vulnerable to the influence of campaigns and the whims of voters.

“So every year, they have half the council and mayor campaign,” Pirrello said. “And a lot of bad decisions are made during that time frame, for obvious reason, and I think that’s one of things we’re trying to eliminate.”

For example, an elected official weeks away from a closely contested election conventionally would be unlikely to support a tax increase, regardless of whether he or she thought one was needed.

Ellisville presently has three-year terms for the mayor and council members, with half the seats for Wards 1, 2 and 3 running on one election cycle, while the other half of the wards as well as the mayor run on another cycle.

Pirrello acknowledged that stopping three council members and the mayor from sharing the same campaign cycle does not require extending the terms.

“You could easily do that now with the three-year terms,” Pirrello said addressing city council members. “Except for as you all learned now after being on the council for a while, it takes a while to get up to speed.”

Pirrello said moving the mayoral election dates also would prevent a majority of city council members from leaving office at the same time.

“So that’s another thing to keep in mind.”

Regardless of whether the board approves the proposal, which would require voter approval because it would change the city's charter, the office of mayor is up for election in April 2012.

If the decision for increased terms and a more staggered election cycle for the office of mayor is approved by board members and the public, however, the mayoral term starting in 2012 would run a single term of two years followed by four-year terms.

“And that’s what would start staggering the terms,” Pirrello said.

See what your city council member had to say about extending terms in office by viewing the photo gallery above.

Editor's Note: Not sure who your aldermen are? Find out what ward in Ellisville you live in by viewing the ward map under the "PDF" tab near our photo gallery or by calling . Then, click here to see what two council members represent each ward.