Wilmette Park Board commissioners will discuss the possibility of initiating term limits for board seats at their October meeting, after board member John Olvany asked that members at least consider the concept.
“Clearly I’m in favor of term limits,” Olvany said Monday at the board’s September meeting, when he asked for the idea to be considered at the committee level. “I think there’s a benefit to having new people around and getting fresh ideas.”
The park district currently mandates no term limits for board commissioners, unlike the Wilmette village board, whose members are limited to two four-year terms by village ordinance. The office of village president is also limited to two four-year terms. In neighboring Winnetka, village council members are limited to two two-year terms, as is the council president.
Some park board commissioners have previously served multiple four-year terms, including former commissioner and board president James Crowley, who served 24 years, almost a quarter of the district’s history at the time, before resigning in July 2015 when he moved to Northbrook.
At the time of Crowley’s retirement, Olvany praised Crowley, saying the former board president “was a fountain of knowledge and experience.”
On Monday, Olvany said he might not favor an eight year limit.
“Whether (a term limit) should be 12 years or something else, I don’t know. I don’t think it should be eight years, but I don’t think it should be 25 years,” Olvany said.
Commissioner Bryan Abbott said he wasn’t opposed to sending the discussion to a committee, but said he thought all board members would be interested in taking part in the discussion.
Board President Amy Wolfe asked commissioners to consider in what form, if any, they would be willing to consider term limits, whether it involved a set number of years, or a set number of terms.
“As you’re thinking about this, think through those options,” as well as other options, Wolfe said.
The October park board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 9.
Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
