Chattanooga City Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod has announced she's working on a policy that could implement staggered terms to combat possible mass turnover on the council.
With all nine of the city council members up for re-election and Mayor Andy Berke ending his final term in 2021, the city could, in theory, have an entirely new elected government in just over a year.
"It would just make it so everybody wouldn't have to run at the same time," the District 9 representative said at Tuesday's strategic planning meeting. "Come 2021, we're all going to be running and all of us could potentially be replaced. So if there was a whole new set of people, there would not be anyone here to educate the council. Just imagine: If none of us returned, how would the new council people be able to get information?"
Coonrod said she has been working with city attorney Phil Noblett to draft a referendum amending the charter to stagger council terms so that they do not all end on the same years. If approved by the council, the referendum would be on the Nov. 3 election ballot for citizens to decide.
"That way there's always someone here who's been here," Coonrod said. "It just makes more sense than everybody running at the same time."
District 4 Councilman Darrin Ledford said Coonrod is not alone in her concern.
"It's an interesting conversation," he said, adding that a constituent had recently asked him if, in theory, all council members and the mayor could be replaced next year. "It's a lot of balls all up in the air at the same time."
While Coonrod didn't specify what limit she wanted to put on how many terms a council member could serve, she multiple times suggested imposing term limits as the council prepares the potential referendum.
"Some people want to serve forever," she said. "If you don't agree with term limits, OK, cool. But I still think that it needs to be staggered."
While there was no specific opposition from her colleagues, District 1 Councilman Chip Henderson cautioned that a new staggered structure would create more necessary elections and have some council members running for office at the same time as other local elections.
According to Noblett, the council has until late May to draft referendums for the November election.
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at staylor@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow her on Twitter @sarahgtaylor.