Cary News April 30, 2008

Morrisville moves toward at-large elections

Adam Arnold, Staff Writer

Morrisville has taken a formal step toward changing the name of its governing board as well as the way its citizens vote for town officials.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Morrisville Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution of intent to change the town charter so that the board would be rechristened the town council. In addition, council districts would be eliminated so voters would elect all council members at large.
The next step will be a public hearing on the proposals on May 27. The changes, if approved, would not become effective until later in the summer.
“We’re definitely not amending our town charter tonight,” said Commissioner Tom Murry.
Depending on the interest residents show in the changes, Mayor Jan Faulkner said that it is possible the public hearing could be continued into June.
Though the action Tuesday was the Morrisville board’s first formal step in the process, town officials have been discussing the proposals for months.
According to minutes from the board’s retreat in January, former Commissioner Hill Carrow raised the idea of the name change.
Carrow said that some residents were confused by the nomenclature, as most municipal boards are called town councils and Wake County’s governing body is called the board of commissioners.
Apex and Holly Springs have also made the switch. Both towns had boards of commissioners until 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Apex and Holly Springs also elect all of their council members at-large.
Morrisville currently has six commissioners and a mayor. The mayor and two of the commissioners are elected at-large. The other four commissioners are elected by district by all voters.
Using an all at-large approach would return Morrisville to the method that it used until the 1980s, when it adopted its current mode of election.
According to the retreat minutes, Murry raised the idea of returning to at-large elections, saying that district races appeared to get fewer candidates than at-large contests.
In addition Murry said he was concerned about the redistricting process, which he said was contentious following the town’s special census in 2005.
Following the announcement of the outcome of the 2010 census, the town would have to redistrict in 2011, an election year.
Contact Adam Arnold at 460-2609 or aarnold@nando.com.