Amid the school board showdown, Springfield voters approved a pair of changes to the Springfield City Charter.
Question 1 addresses provisions related to the city’s ethics policy, primarily for city government employees, while providing a defense for potential violations. Question 2 will extend the mayoral term from two years to four, while maintaining the limit of eight consecutive years in office.
While both amendments will take effect immediately, the measure extending the mayoral term won’t be applicable until the April 2025 election.
Here are the latest results on the amendment changing provisions related to a code of ethics:
| With 56 of 56 precincts reporting | Votes | Pct. | |
| ✔ | Yes | 11,814 | 76.49% |
| No | 3,631 | 23.51% |
Here are the latest results on the amendment to change the length of the term of mayor:
| With 56 of 56 precincts reporting | Votes | Pct. | |
| ✔ | Yes | 8,455 | 53.48% |
| No | 7,354 | 46.52% |
The Greene County Clerk's Office will continue to accept military and overseas ballots until Friday, April 5 at noon, according to Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, and results should be certified by Monday, April 8.
Schoeller estimated voter turnout for Tuesday's election at around 15.1%.
Revisions to city’s ethics policy
Voter approval of Question 1 requires the city establish a code of ethics, and requires the City Council to review the policy at least once every two years.
Charter provisions providing ethics policies for council members and board members, through Sections 2-60 and 2-161, respectively, would continue to be applied. Ethical guidance for city employees is currently provided through various documents, including the city charter.
With few exceptions, Section 19.16 of the city charter prohibits council members, appointed officers, board members and city government staff from having direct or indirect financial interest in any contract with the city or sale of land, materials, supplies or services to the city. Currently, a violation of the restriction results in forfeiture of office or employment.
Question 1 also requires revisions to address violations by city staff, instead allowing them to undergo disciplinary review, which could include penalties up to and including termination. The provision was considered by the City Council as a means to prevent city employees from being automatically fired as a result of unrelated circumstances.
In addition, the amendment provides a legal defense to forfeiture of office or termination of employment if a written advisory opinion was obtained from the City Attorney and relied upon in good faith prior to a violation of the ethics policy.
A code of ethics document could be created through action by the City Council or administratively by the city manager, according to a city spokesperson. Following the certification of election results, city staff would “ideally” finalize the code of ethics and other necessary documents within 90-120 days.
Question 1: “Shall Section 19.16 of the Springfield City Council be amended to require enactment of a code of ethics, to be reviewed by Council not less than every other year, revise provisions to address employee violations with disciplinary action up to and including termination, and add a legal defense to forfeiture of office or termination of employment if a prior, written advisory opinion from the City Attorney was obtained and relied upon in good faith?”
Next mayor to serve four-year term
With the approval of Question 2, Springfield’s next mayor is slated to be elected to a four-year term. The amendment extended the current two-year mayoral term to four years, while maintaining the charter’s current limit of eight consecutive years in office for Springfield's top elected official. The city’s current mayor, Ken McClure, is serving in his fourth two-year term and ineligible to run in 2025.
While the majority of voters approved the change, it passed with a narrower margin than Question 1. Disagreements over the amendment surfaced when the City Council voted to put the measure on the ballot.
Some council members suggested two-year terms require a constant campaign mindset, restrict who could run for mayor and ultimately hinder progress, while others argued the two-year term provides voters a regular opportunity to hold the mayor accountable, and that a four-year term gives voters in mayoral elections more influence in determining the makeup of the City Council.
Question 2: “Shall sections 2.1(1) and 2.6 of the Springfield City Charter be amended to provide for a four-year term for the mayor instead of a two-year term, with the four-year term to first apply at the general municipal election to be held in 2025, and with the maximum consecutive years a mayor may serve to remain limited to eight years.”
