Likelihood of Bluffton council expansion shrinks

Despite Bluffton’s growing population, the size of the town’s governing body will likely remain the same for the foreseeable future.

Town leaders threw cold water Tuesday night on a proposal that ultimately would have allowed residents to vote on expanding the council from five members to seven. The council and town staff held a workshop Tuesday night to discuss the issue and determined that the board would not act to push for a referendum.

Tuesday’s workshop was sparsely attended, but all of the members of the public who provided input spoke in favor of expanding the council.

Town resident Richard Nettles said the growing population — which has more than doubled since the 2000 census —“underscores the need for additional Town Council members.”

But the consensus from the council was that the timing for a referendum simply isn’t right. They said a question regarding the makeup of the council would be more appropriate during a non-presidential election year, when Bluffton’s municipal elections are typically held.

Councilman Larry Toomer noted that voter turnout during presidential elections is far higher than in a typical municipal election. Therefore, the decision to expand the council would be made in large part by voters who don’t necessarily show up to the polls to vote for Bluffton’s mayor and council seats, he said.

“Is that the voice we want to listen to — people who only vote in a general election when there is a presidential race? Or should (council expansion) be decided by the people who vote in Bluffton town elections?” Toomer asked rhetorically.

Councilman Dan Wood, a vocal supporter of expanding the council since he was elected to the body last year, appeared to be swayed by Toomer’s logic.

“I don’t want to see this lost in the general election for president,” he said.

But Wood added that, regardless of any action — or inaction — from the board Tuesday, council expansion “is eventually going to happen at some point.”

Councilman Harry Lutz, also a new member of the council who has previously spoken in favor of council expansion, changed his tune Tuesday as well.

“During the election process, I was 100 percent in favor,” he said. “... But since I’ve been on the council, and I’ve got the lay of the land, I — at this point — am not in favor of expanding.”

Deputy town manager Scott Marshall said one of the important considerations for expanding the council is the workload for the individual members of the board.

If the council “feels like the workload is not more than you can handle, … there is no need to increase the number of council members,” he said.

When asked, none of the council members indicated that they feel overwhelmed by their workload.

Voters could still choose to add members to the body in November.

However, without support of the council, at least 15 percent of registered town voters would have to sign a petition demanding a vote, Marshall said.

A grassroots movement of that scope appears unlikely given the fast-approaching August deadline for adding items to November’s ballot.

This story was originally published June 21, 2016 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Likelihood of Bluffton council expansion shrinks."