LOCKPORT — An attempt by 4th Ward Alderman Andy Chapman to force a Common Council vote on his old term-limits proposal failed Wednesday.

The proposal, tabled by the Council in February 2010, would limit the mayor to serving two consecutive terms of office and aldermen to three consecutive terms. Officers would be allowed to run for the jobs again, but only after a full term out of office.

The proposal ended up on the Council’s Wednesday meeting agenda as the last in a series of three resolutions by Chapman, the first two procedural motions aimed at getting the term limits proposal out of its “tabled” state and back in front of the Council for action.

Chapman’s effort, backed by 2nd Ward Alderman Jack Smith, didn’t get past the first procedural step. To undo the proposal’s tabled status, the Council would first have to agree to waive the “rules and orders” of its meetings. The majority voted “no” to waiving the rules, so there could not be a vote to lift the table.

Ahead of the business meeting, the majority tried getting Chapman to withdraw the motions. Council President Richelle Pasceri pledged the body could revisit the term limits proposal in a work session, as others made clear they would not agree to a vote on the spot. Chapman refused to be put off.

“We already discussed it, a year and a half ago. Nothing’s changed. ... I made a campaign promise (to pursue the legislation),” he said.

While Chapman claims a number of 4th Ward residents are demanding action on the proposal, Fifth Ward Alderman Ken Genewick said he hasn’t heard a word about term limits from voters as he’s campaigning for re-election.

Somewhat angrily, Genewick demanded to know of Chapman whether the timing of his resolutions is inspired by politics and campaigning. Chapman is running for a seat on the county Legislature, and he’s trying to wrest the Republican ballot line from incumbent Legislator Keith McNall in the primary election next week.

Chapman agreed the proposal is “political,” but he denied it has anything to do with “advancing” himself.

“You need to do what your constituents want,” he said. “It’s important we put a stake in the ground and say what you stand for. ... If people in the 5th Ward don’t want (term limits), you don’t vote for it. People in the 4th Ward do. ... It’s been lurking out there all the time.”

Procedural maneuvers having failed to free up his proposal, Chapman said he’ll pursue one or more alternative means of getting a vote on it. City Attorney John Ottaviano said state law presently does not allow term-limits referenda, so for Chapman, he agreed to research whether the Council can ask the state Legislature for an exception; meanwhile, Chapman will research ways for citizens to petition for a public vote on the question. He’ll also introduce another proposed local law and ask for a Council vote to set a public hearing date, he said.

In other business Wednesday, the Council:

• Approved, by a 4-2 vote, extension of Acting Assessor Joe Macaluso’s 6-month contract with the city. Macaluso has been the acting assessor on a contractual basis since 2009. Chapman and Smith voted “no” to extension, Smith because he wanted the Council to review and possibly reduce Macaluso’s benefits package first.

• Approved, by a 5-1 vote, hiring of the Niagara Falls-based Regional Environmental Demolition Inc. to remove asbestos from and demolish buildings at the city-owned Dussault Foundry site, 2-10 Washburn St. The company was the low bidder among 11 pursuing the job, which will cost an estimated $150,000. The city received a $200,000 grant from the county Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Fund to spend on the last cleanup work needed at the site. Chapman cast the “no” vote.