A proposal to double the terms for Southampton Village Board members from two to four years sparked a heated debate among residents at the panel’s meeting on November 9.
The proposal’s backers maintain that the goal is to provide stability to village hall, so board members can focus on doing the people’s business instead of campaigning for re-election. But critics argue that the current two-year terms preserve accountability and encourage transparency — and they also called for a public referendum on the change.
