A proposed county charter amendment that would allow a third term for Anne Arundel County Council members was pulled from consideration this past week — one of three charter changes defeated at the County Council session.

Councilman Pete Smith decided Monday night to withdraw the resolution on term limits, which proposed extending the potential tenure of council members from eight years to 12. As a charter change, it would have been passed on to voters to approve or reject if endorsed by the council.

Smith, a Severn Democrat, said he had hoped to “improv[e] the county” by giving citizens the option to retain institutional knowledge in the legislative branch.

“I always thought the legislative branch had a disadvantage because we are part-time,” he said earlier this month. “You have a system where, potentially, every eight years the entire system changes, where you don't have continuity.”

But other council members were reluctant to support the measure, which was opposed by County Executive Steve Schuh. The county executive called it “tin-eared” in a radio interview.

Monday night, Smith made clear that he had “no interest” in serving a third term himself.

“But obviously, politics gets into play, and that's where we are,” he said, before withdrawing the measure.

The resolution was not the only one to fall Monday during the council's last scheduled meeting before its traditional August recess — and before the deadline for certifying questions that will appear on November's general election ballot.

Another proposed charter change, from Councilman Jerry Walker, a Crofton Republican, also failed to garner the five votes necessary to send it to the ballot.

Walker's measure would have expanded the scope of documents the county auditor can request from the executive branch.

“There have been times ... that I think the auditor's position has been inhibited in their ability to research things that they needed to have access to,” Walker said.

Last year, then-County Auditor Teresa Sutherland clashed with the administration over access to documents during an investigation into a message removed from annual tax fliers.

Walker said his proposal would have changed the charter “to allow the auditor to have access to other information that I believe is pertinent to her role ... either as directed by the council or by their own choice.”

The resolution was opposed by the Schuh administration. Bernie Marczyk, Schuh's legislative liaison, said documents that could be inspected by the auditor under the proposed change would include attorney-client privileged information and personnel information, including bank accounts and Social Security numbers.

“We ... think this is an overreach and sets a dangerous precedent for materials that could be obtained,” Marczyk said.

The resolution failed to garner the five necessary votes and was defeated. Councilmen Derek Fink, John Grasso and Michael Peroutka voted against it.

A third unsuccessful charter amendment, which would have added language to the charter clarifying that the council can hire its own attorneys, fell in a 6-1 vote.

Smith, who sponsored the proposal, said he wanted to address a perception that the county's Office of Law faces a conflict when the legislative and executive branch disagree over legislation.

“I do think at times that it's hard to serve two interests when you're appointed by one,” he said.

Fellow council members said the council already has the ability to hire outside attorneys if needed. The the Schuh administration had also opposed the measure, noting that the council already has an attorney who drafts legislation.