Oregon residents to vote on council terms

Oregon City Council voted 6-1 Monday to place a measure on the ballot in November that would double the length of council terms.

The measure would amend the city charter to increase term lengths to four years and stagger the terms so the entire council is not up for re-election in the same year, as is currently the case.

Voters have rejected the proposed change twice before, in 1990 and 2002.

The whole council is up for re-election next year. If the charter change were approved in November, the three highest vote-getters in 2013 would be elected to four-year terms, and the remaining members would serve for two years before becoming eligible to run for four-year terms in 2015.

The dissenting vote was cast by Councilman Jerry Peach, who said the change was unnecessary and "the system we have is working well."

Council President Tom Susor said most other city councils were characterized by four-year, staggered terms.