City leaders might amend the city charter to resolve ambiguity about when term limited city commission and board members may be reappointed.
The proposal, discussed Monday, July 13 during a Legislative Committee meeting, would require term limited members of the city’s various boards and commissions to be out of the roles for at least six months before being eligible for reappointment.
Currently, the city charter sets a term limit of three consecutive three-year terms. The 2016 charter amendment language creating term limits did not specify how long a term limited person must be off the board before becoming eligible for reappointment. The issue drew attention when Mayor Dan Buttermann sought to reappoint Margery Merzig to the Board of Public Service earlier this year, who had hit the term limit.
During an April Legislative Committee meeting where potential solutions were discussed, City Attorney David Merzig — Margery Merzig’s husband — proposed ending the term limits, according to Daily Star archives.
Legislative Committee members Carolyn Marks, D-Seventh Ward, and Shannon McHugh, D-Third Ward, agreed Monday that six months was a reasonable period of time for a member to have to wait before a reappointment. Chairperson Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, was absent.
“I do like the idea of being off for a certain period of time, and if a new member is not able, or we’re not able to find a new member, then that that member could be reinstated,” Marks said. “I think that’s a little compromise to this issue.”
At its last regular meeting July 8, the Common Council considered amendment language drafted by David Merzig that would have done away with the term limits altogether. Multiple council members said they were opposed or hesitant about that proposal, and the body referred the matter back to the Legislative Committee.
“I’m not in favor of taking term limits off,” Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, said at the council meeting.
Merzig had advised the council that doing away with the limit would require a referendum of city voters. During Monday’s committee meeting, Marks and McHugh expressed uncertainty about whether the new proposal for the six-month gap would require a referendum, or just approval of the Common Council and mayor.
“You may be able to avoid the need for referendum,” City Clerk Kerri Harrington said during the meeting, “because it’s not eliminating a term.”
David Merzig did not return request for comment on his assessment Tuesday.
McHugh said there should be a poll of commissioners and board members to see how things are going at the end of the year.
The Common Council is expected to discuss the six month proposal Tuesday, July 21.