Grandview voters say yes to longer terms

By Kathy Feist

Grandview voters agreed Tuesday that the city had outgrown its two-year term limits for its elected officials. 

Results from the election show 71.51% voted yes to a four-year term for the mayor versus  28.49% who voted to keep the existing two-year term.

The numbers were only slightly different for the city aldermen. There were 68.71% who voted yes on  four-year terms for the six alderman seats and 31.29% who voted no. 

Mayor Leonard Jones pushed for longer terms in order to save costs for Grandview taxpayers and candidates, as well as be in step with similar sized cities.  

“Grandview is the largest Class 4 city in the state that still has two year terms of office for its mayor and aldermen,” he explained. 

In August, the Board of Alderman voted 4-2 to place the term change on the ballot.

Alderman John Maloney (Ward 3) who voted against the measure said he believed the two-year election cycle brought accountability to voters. Alderman Annette Turnbaugh (Ward 2) agreed. “It is important for the voters to make their decision after two years whether they want an incumbent or a new person to win the election,” she said.

Around 1,600 voters in Grandview made that decision on behalf of the city’s nearly 27,000 residents. 

Grandview voters also helped decide whether the Jackson County assessor should be elected to office or appointed. Jackson County voters decided 90.27% in favor of an elected position.

The assessor is integral in figuring property taxes values, a volatile topic in Jackson County where property tax hikes have increased on average by 75 percent in the past five years. As an appointed position, the assessor is perceived as obligated to the County Executive that appointed her. 

Only a month earlier, Jackson County voters elected to strip County Executive Frank White, Jr. of his position, mostly due to outrage over increased property taxes.