MILTON — The Milton City Council during its March 5 Executive Committee meeting will review a draft ordinance to set term limits for the mayor and Council members. With Council approval, the draft will go to referendum for the Nov. 6 general election.
The proposed ordinance amendment would limit Council members to four terms of three years, totaling 12 years. After four terms, they would have to take a two-year break before running for office again.
The same rules would apply for the mayor.
The Council also discussed Feb. 22 the possibility of a council member serving some terms and then running for mayor. The council eventually agreed to allow an official to serve 16 total years between a Council seat and the office of mayor.
According to City Manager Brian Watkins, the main purpose of this change is to make sure no elected officials serve 20 consecutive years. That would require the city to pay for their retirement totaling half of their current salary.
City Attorney Heather Lindsay will amend the ordinance to include the agreed-upon restrictions before the March meeting.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: City reviews term limits for council, mayor