A Bucks County borough recently voted to keep their local council at a set number of representatives for the foreseeable future. Kenny Cooper wrote about the recent vote for WHYY.

Yardley Borough voters have rejected the ballot question that asked if they wanted to reduce the size of the borough council from seven to five members. Close to 58 percent of the one-square-mile borough’s voters said “no” to the proposed change.

The measure was put in front of the voters after resident Earl Markey III obtained 150 signatures on a petition in support of his proposal.  He then asked the Bucks County court in August to certify the ballot question.

Markey, who serves as a Republican committeeman in the borough, believed that a reduction would be helpful in solving the issue of council vacancies and make governance more effective.

“Council has a lot of people, but it’s ineffective,” said Markey at the time. “It doesn’t really do, it just talks a lot. It doesn’t really get stuff done. So we think less people will get more done, hopefully.”

Meanwhile, Council President Caroline Thompson opposed any reduction in the size of the council.

Read more about the voting results at WHYY.