Two Years or Four? Southampton Village Weighs Lengthening Terms

At a public hearing hosted by the Southampton Village Board on February 12, residents and some board members voiced opposition to a proposal that would extend the terms of office for the mayor and trustees from two to four years. The proposal would be subject to a mandatory referendum. It was recommended by the village’s Planning Commission, which argued that longer terms would save the village money due to less frequent elections while providing elected officials more time to build institutional knowledge and oversee projects from start to finish. But those who spoke out against the proposal largely disagreed. They expressed support for keeping the current two-year terms in place and questioned the need for the change. This week, the editors are joined by news reporter Dan Stark to talk about the pros, the cons and possible motives behind the proposal.