FRANKLIN—In hopes of preventing another mix-up that has the terms of five out of seven School Board members expiring at the same time, the City Council plans to amend its charter to make for a quicker fix next time.

The council will hold a public hearing on the matter at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, at City Hall.

City Manager June Fleming explained Friday that appointments to the School Board are on a 2-2-3 rotation. The City Council appoints two members to three-year terms in year one. The process is repeated the following year. In the third year, three are appointed.

In 2006, two school board members resigned mid-term. When City Council appointed people to fill those seats, they were granted three-year terms. They should’ve been appointed to fill the remaining time left in the term.

“We ended up with a 1-1-5 rotation,” Fleming said.

Right now, those with terms set to expire on June 30, 2012, are Will Council, Glenn Hopkins, Mona Murphy, Bill Scarboro and Edna King. Johnetta Nichols’ term expires June 30, 2011, and Verta Jackson’s term is up on June 30, 2013.

“The council has discussed really wanting to maintain the 2-2-3 rotation and asked the City Attorney how to get back to that rotation,” Fleming said.

City Attorney Taylor Williams learned there is nothing in the City Charter to fix the situation. Williams wants to make sure should the problem happen again, it can changed simply by acknowledging an error was made and the appointee will only serve the balance of the term.

To get everything back to a 2-2-3 rotation, whoever is appointed to Council’s seat in 2012 will get a one-year term. Whoever is appointed to Hopkins’ seat in 2012 will get a two-year term.