by Robert M. Traxler
A recent editorial in Townbroadcast brought up the subject of service to our local governments in a discussion about who is qualified and how long folks should be allowed to serve our local, state, and national governments.
The current term limits movement started in the 1990s. The Supreme Court stated in U.S. Term Limits vs Thornton that states could not limit the terms of United States Senators and Representatives. The anger then was directed at folks who could be term limited, in state and local governments.
The movement started over some elected officials in Washington who resided in the swamp that is Washington and forgot about the folks at home. Some in the House and Senate moved their families to the Washington area and only maintained a post office box, or in one case a mother-in-law’s retirement home, as a local address. They purchased homes in Washington, DC or the surrounding areas and sent their children to prestigious private schools like Sidwell Friends, Pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, that costs up to $40,000 per year. That is not a misprint: $40,000.
If you live in Lansing, send your children to school in Lansing, and rarely visit Dorr, Hopkins, Martin, Moline or Wayland, then you should be voted out of office in the State House or Senate. We do indeed have term limits, called elections. A political figure who loses touch with the everyday folks in the district cannot serve the people of that district and needs to look elsewhere for work.
A recent story in Townbroadcast told about a longtime member of the Dorr Planning Commission who according to Trustees Terri Rios and John Tuinstra, should be term limited out of office. Are there term limits for appointed folks in Dorr? No, no there are not.
Let’s be honest; both elected officials have been accused of wiretapping folks they do not feel should be on the Planning Commission, and as collateral damage, three private citizens as well. In fairness, Ms. Rios has denied involvement, but Mr. Tuinstra maintains he accidentally left a recording device placed in a location out of normal view during and after a Planning Commission meeting. If true, then perhaps you should ask yourself when was the last time you hid a recording device in a public building and then forgot it and walked out without it?
The wiretap came on the heels of Ms. Rios complaining to the Township Board about commission members socializing after their meeting ended, in what she referred to as an illegal meeting, and a violation of the Open Meetings Act. She and Mr. Tuinstra had attempted to prevent reappointment of the commission chairperson.
The term limits movement has a point in wishing to limit the time elected officials spend away from the people they represent. However, if you live in Dorr, Wayland, Hopkins, Martin or Moline and spend two-thirds of your life in those communities, shop in the stores, eat in the restaurants, attend the churches and speak with your neighbors, term limits make no sense.
A planning commissioner must look to the long-term good of the township or city; playing musical chairs with the members, changing them every six or nine years, will lose continuity and be disastrous for long-term planning vital to controlled growth.
An interesting note: Mr. Tuinstra apparently is running for a third four-year term as trustee. Please pick a side; are you for term limits or not? What is good for everyone else is not for Mr. Tuinstra?
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, do what I say not what I do? Can we say hypocrite?
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the interests of full disclosure, the three long-time members of the Planning Commission Ms. Rios and Mr. Tuinstra have targeted for removal because of term limits are the author, Chairman Bob Wagner and Commissioner Larry Dolegowski. They have not been successful, but they have come close.
Term limits for elected officials are un-democratic. For appointees, there may be reasons such as personal alliances that causes the appointive body to ignore the needs of the position in order to keep in good relationship with a person. There may be other reasons, such as lethargy on the part of the appointive body. In the present case, I am certain Army Bob has no under-the-table personal relationships, nor is he on the planning commission because he is just ignored and forgotten. Army Bob does his job, too well, in the opinion of some would be controllers of Dorr planning.
Term limits have proven to be a bad idea for the MI State Legislature. As I stated in another response, the biggest thing it’s done is encourage office holders to stiff arm any attempts of bi-partisanship because they know they can look on either side of them and know at least one, maybe both of their fellow legislators will be gone in two or four years.
In the case of Dorr, the premise should be if term limits are thought to be such a great idea, those sitting on the Township Board should vote to put the question of term limits for themselves AND the Planning Commission in the 2020 ballot, limiting terms to a total of eight years. The idea that only the planning commission seats are in question appears to be wanting to walk on both sides of the street.
Having sat on volunteer public boards, I can attest it can be a thankless job. Property owners, developers, area businesses and infrastructure specialists all can have conflicting ideas. A planning commission’s job is to wade through support, objections and infrastructure issues, including road use, housing density, does a proposal “fit” into where it’s proposed, etc. I hope the board listens to what the Planning Commission concludes is the best plan of action.
What happened in neighboring Leighton Township and the private air field that was finally approved by public vote after nearly two contentious years because that board decided to ignore its Planning Commission’s recommendations was unfortunate. That case left me wondering why that particular governmental unit bothered to have apPlanning commission at all if it wanted was a rubber stamp or dump the tough decision on the ballot for a public vote.
I’m sure there are issues of personality conflicts, as noted, but if planning commission members need to be term limited those same rules should apply to the board. Overall term limits are overrated.
Isn’t wiretapping punishable by law? Denying involvement & “forgetting ” are not acceptable! Do the Dorr residents know about these actions? If so where is the outcry for justice?
Terri Rios & John Tuinstra are the most argumentative, contentious township board members I have ever seen! They should be voted out of office for their illegal, not re-elected!
Dorr residents, I challenge you to go to the township meetings, ask questions, demand answers! Our township board is a laughing stock in the area because of a couple of people! It’s time for new blood on the township board, we need to elect people that are level headed, will do what’s best for the township.
Yes, most of the township knew ….if there was an out cry it was silent.
Yes, our board is not only a laughing stock…but is also known as the NE circus of clowns.
I know for sure there will be a least one new name on the ballot and I can say he is not a supporter of the clowns or their silent ringmaster (s)
It’s time for a change so spread the word….