Council Removes Board No Term Limit Proposal
Currently, board and commission members are appointed by the council to a two-year term. Members can be re-appointed up to three consecutive terms. Exempted are appointees to the Grand Prairie Housing Finance Corporation, Grand Prairie Industrial Development Authority and the Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation, Inc. which all have no term limits.
During the Council Briefing Session on July 5, the council agreed to remove term limits in order to equalize appointments to all boards and commissions. It also cited how difficult it is to get residents to serve on some boards and feared term limits would force the removal of qualified members, doing outstanding work and still willing to serve.
After hearing a great deal of opposition from residents to the no term limit proposal, the council agreed at Tuesday’s Council Briefing Session to a new proposal presented by Councilman Ron Jensen.
The proposal would place three term limits on appointees to all boards and commissions including the now exempted ones. But, it would allow the council to retain board members past their term limit if approved by a vote all council members.
The city staff will draft the new proposal to be voted on at the August 2 meeting.
