Brian Hamman
Lee County commissioners will take another run at term limits, this time considering whether to create a referendum that could limit their tenures to 12 consecutive years.
The commission’s latest round of term limit considerations comes at behest of its newest member, Commissioner Brian Hamman.
In his first try at passing legislation, the commissioner of just about three months said he wants voters to decide whether members Lee’s ranking government body should have to take four-year breaks after three consecutive terms. The proposal would make for longer tenures than the eight year limits of state legislators, which some say are too short.
“The 12 years allows you to build up that institutional knowledge or background, but it keeps commissioners from making a career for life,” Hamman said.
Before voters can consider the issue, Hamman will have to convince a majority of his fellow commissioners at a meeting they agreed to hold, but have yet to schedule.
Commissioner Frank Mann said he’s not so sure commissioners should set a referendum, as there’s been little demand for term limits and there’s alternative options to installing them, Mann said.
“I’m willing to listen to it and talk about it, but it’s not the burning issues on anybody’s mind today or I would have heard more about it,” Mann said.
The Charter Committee, 15 people appointed by commissioners, meets every year to look at Lee’s version of a constitution. The group could recommend a referendum on the matter. Alternatively, enough petition signatures would put term limits on a ballot.