JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Johnson City commissioners approved on first reading several ordinances to make changes to the city’s charter, including changing when city elections are held. But ultimately voters would decide if the proposed changes are implemented.

If approved, all four proposed changes would appear as referendums in the August election.

One ordinance seeks to move elections for City Commission and Board of Education from November to August, when the county general election is held, during election years. School board primaries would be held in March alongside the presidential primaries.

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Commissioner Joe Wise said the move would help reduce voter confusion and lead to more city voters casting ballots for county offices since the two elections would be held at the same time.

“We’re electing one school board in August, the county school board, and the city school board in November of the same year. We’re electing county commissioners in August, but we’re electing city commissioners in November,” Wise said. “And I think it just sends very mixed signals to voters.”

The move would not come with any increased costs to the city.

Another ordinance seeks to change the number of required readings to approve ordinances from three to two.

Assistant City Manager Steve Willis said most cities in Tennessee only require two readings. It would also allow public hearings to be held before the commission’s first vote on an ordinance. Currently, public hearings are held with the second reading.

Commissioner Jenny Brock said it would speed up the process for matters involving new developments.

“In many of these cases too, it’s dealing with developers and business opportunities and we’re not traveling at the speed of business for sure,” Brock said.

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Commissioner John Hunter said it would eliminate confusion for members of the public wanting to speak about an ordinance.

“How many times do we have people wanting to speak on a request and don’t understand why they can’t speak on the first reading?” Hunter said.

Another ordinance would reduce the number of required budget advertisements in the newspaper from two to one. City officials say this would result in approximately $3,500 in savings.

Willis said the state only requires one budget advertisement.

“And that first advertisement required by our charter is a working budget that is not anywhere close to being in its final form,” Willis said. “So, it really provides no value to you as an elected board nor does it provide any value to our taxpayers.”

Commissioner Wise said advertising an incomplete, working budget could misinform the public.

A fourth ordinance would allow the city manager to make temporary employee appointments for longer than 90 days.

Willis said this would eliminate an “unnecessary administrative burden” for appointments that last longer than 90 days.

All four proposals passed unanimously and will have to be approved on second and third readings before going to the election commission for placement on ballots in the Aug. 1 election.

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