Politics & Government

Niles Term Limits Question At a Standstill

The village scheduled, then modified, then cancelled a meeting to sort out which of the two referendums on term limits, both passed by voters, applies. One could potentially prevent the mayor-elect from serving.

 

Three weeks after Niles voters passed two term limits ordinances-- and 10 months after Niles citizen Joe Makula started working for term limits in Niles--the issue has reached a standstill which could last indefinitely.

At the April 23 Niles village board meeting, Trustee Rosemary Palicki called for a special board meeting to take place April 30 for the board to discuss the issue. The village subsequently emailed to say the meeting was closed to the public, and then a second email on April 30 said the meeting was cancelled. 

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"The need for the Special Board Meeting concerning the referenda is no longer necessary at this time," the email said. It did not explain what that meant.

Earlier: Term Limits Referendum Could Potentially Keep Przybylo from Office

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Village Attorney Joe Annunzio said that the ordinance version of term limits applies, but that it's not known whether the petition version applies, and if it does, which would prevail. Voters passed both referendums in the April 9 election.

The issue is salient because if the petition version takes precedence, it could potentially prevent Mayor-elect Andrew Przybylo from serving, due to the fact he has already served 24 years on the board.

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Annunzio said the ordinance version is applicable because the village board approved it and the voters subsequently passed it.

"The problem is how do you reconcile the two?," Annunzio said. "I've got law firms looking at it."

It's unclear whether the situation, of having voters pass two referendums which set out conflicting conditions, even has a precedent in Illinois law. 

Annunzio said he did not have a timeline for when the issue would be decided. Meanwhile, Przybylo is scheduled to assume mayoral duties on May 14.

The ordinance version, so named because the Niles board of trustees passed an ordinance concerning it, would limit an individual to serving three terms as a trustee and two terms as mayor. It is not retroactive, meaning it does not apply to time an individual has already served.

The petition was created by Niles citizen Joe Makula, who gathered nearly 1,000 signatures on a petition to create term limits in Niles. because a court rebuffed his first attempt. The petition version limits Niles officials to serving 16 years, or four terms, whether as mayor or trustee. It is retroactive, meaning someone who has already served 16 years or more, such Przybylo, would be prevented from serving further, according to Makula. None of the other trustees (after May 14) or trustees-elect have yet served 16 years.


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