The Town of Crawford is hoping to extend term lengths for specific town positions.

Town Supervisor, town clerk, highway superintendent and the receiver of taxes are all current positions with two-year-terms. Town Supervisor Charles Carnes and fellow Crawford board members are hoping to change that.

“I believe that the Town of Crawford should consider going to four year terms from two year terms,” Carnes said. “You guys [Crawford Town Board members] are all in four year terms. It makes no sense that the town supervisor, the town clerk, the highway superintendent [and] the receiver of taxes are two years, especially with early voting, and carrying petitions which starts in February.”

Members of the board agreed with Carnes easily.

The introductory local law is currently titled “Extension Of Term Of Office From Two Years To Four Years For The Offices Of Town Supervisor, Town Clerk, Town Highway Superintendent And Town Receiver of Taxes Of The Town Of Crawford.”

If passed, the extended term would begin January 1, 2024, but according to the Town of Crawford website, this is “subject to approval at a mandatory referendum to be held on November 7, 2023.”

Carnes made it clear that this decision isn’t just for his own benefit, but for working people and future elected officials.

“This does not benefit me because I doubt that I’ll still be here in four years,” Carnes said. “So it’s not a benefit to me. People [won’t be] running every two years [or] every one year and two months.”

The board then passed a motion to hold a public hearing for the law, which will be held on July 20 at 7 p.m.