Town to vote on term limits
By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News
Wellington is short on candidates for the town board election on April
6, so the outcome can be predicted with accuracy now.
Another question won't be answered until election day, however. To prevent
a future lack of candidates, Reggie Kemp convinced his fellow town trustees
to once again ask Wellington voters to eliminate term limits for the town
board.
Noting that it is difficult to find community residents who want to serve
on the volunteer board, Kemp said it would be best to let willing citizens
stay more than eight years. For example, long-time board member Mike Steely
cannot seek re-election because of term limits.
This year, Wellington has three board seats up for election. Incumbent
David Noe is seeking re-election to a four-year term. Karen Ziegler is
running as a write-in candidate because she did not file in time to get
on the ballot. Just one write-in vote will guarantee her election, however.
With two slots filled, the board will have to appoint a third member after
the election.
"There are not enough people coming to our meetings to find candidates
for office," Kemp said.
Colorado voters passed the term-limit law in 1994, and Wellington unsuccessfully
tried to eliminate term limits in the November 2002 election. According
to Kemp, it may be easier to remove term limits in an April election because
that's when voters most interested in community issues go to the polls.
Two years ago, 175 voters turned out for the town election.
Kemp said that the statewide push for term limits in the early '90s focused
on national offices, but the Supreme Court later ruled that state law could
not change federal law. Consequently, the law did not accomplish what Colorado
voters wanted. The citizens' rights to elect town board members or recall
them are safeguards enough to not need term limits at the local level,
Kemp contended.
Having served on the town board for two and half years, Kemp said he appreciates
the amount of knowledge someone needs to be effective. "I'm concerned with
losing institutional knowledge on the board," he added. "With term limits
we will become very dependent on staff."
Wellington's registered voters may cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. at town hall, 3735 Cleveland Ave.
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