OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Residents may decide in November whether to eliminate term limits for town councilors.

The Town Council has proposed four changes to the town charter, all which would need to be voted in by residents at a town-wide referendum for final approval.

The first proposed change would undo a change made by residents at a 2011 referendum, and eliminate term limits for town councilors. Currently, town councilors can only serve two consecutive terms.

The second proposed change would have the town take competitive bids when selling public property. Currently, items must be sold by closed bid, and according to written council commentary this system does not always bring forth the possible highest offer. This change could allow the town to use an auction service to sell old public works equipment.

The third proposed change would allow a town employee who is related to a town councilor to receive a raise during the relative’s tenure on the council, as long as that councilor recuses from voting on any increase. A relative of a town employee can serve on the Town Council if the relative was hired before they became a councilor. Currently, town employees who are related to a town councilor cannot receive raises as long as their relative remains seated on the council.

The last proposed change would eliminate the requirement that Town Council agendas be printed in a newspaper; instead agendas would need to be posted in the Town Hall and on the town’s website.

By state law, public notice is required for municipal meetings, but the type of notice is determined by the town and types of notice include publishing the agenda in a newspaper or a public bulletin board, according to information from the Maine Municipal Association. Public hearings on proposed zoning or charter changes or referendum questions require a notice published in a newspaper, according to the MMA.

The Town Council voted Tuesday night to move the process forward on the proposed referendum questions. Residents can weigh in on the proposals at a public hearing at the Town Council’s Aug. 16 meeting. Town Council Chairman Shawn O’Neill said the council will decide that night whether to direct the town clerk to put the items on the November ballot.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.