Ever since he came to the City Council six seasons ago, the paternal Andy Weissman has been in charge of the Setting the Record Straight Dept. at City Hall.
As he did again this time.
There is no controversy, Mr. Weissman said, over colleague Jim Clarke serving a two-year term, a four-year term, and then being term-limited as if he had served the standard eight years.
“It’s right there in the City Charter,” said the man who helped revise the Charter a few years ago. “The City Clerk (Martin Cole) made the right ruling based upon the language in the Charter, Section 6.01. It says that if you take office with more than half a term remaining, it counts as a full term.”
Here is the precise language in 6.01: “No person shall serve more than two consecutive terms as a Council member. If a person serves a partial term in excess of two years, it shall be considered a full term for purposes of this provision.”
Mr. Weissman said that “the City Clerk has opined more than once on the issue. The counting has to do with the day of the swearing-in.”
In December 2011 when Councilman Scott Malsin abruptly and carefully resigned his position just short of completing 50 percent of his term – to safeguard his city pension – the Council voted to leave his seat vacant until the regularly scheduled April 2012 election.
On Election Day, four of the five seats were at stake. Mr. Weissman, now-Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells and now-Vice Mayor Mehaul O’Leary were the top three votegetters. Mr. Clarke, running fourth, drew the short stick, the two-year (plus a few hours) term.
