Huntington OKs Limiting Terms of Personnel Board Members

To bring the Personnel Commission in line with other city boards, the City Council has tentatively approved a plan that would limit the tenure of panel members.

Mayor Dave Sullivan said that, because appointees to other city commissions may serve only two four-year terms, the same rule should be applied to the seven-member Personnel Commission.

Sullivan also said that some members of the commission, which advises the council and city administration on personnel matters, have served more than 15 years on the panel. Under the proposal, members who have served at least two consecutive terms would step down.

Anticipating a policy change, two commission members with more than eight years of service recently resigned. The board already had one vacancy. If term limits are enforced, two more positions would come vacant, giving the panel five openings.

Councilmen Victor Leipzig and Peter M. Green voted against the proposal, saying that, while they favor limiting terms, they think current commissioners should be able to serve out their appointed terms, regardless of how many years they have already served.

“It’s not much of a courtesy,” Leipzig said, to “boot out so many commissioners.”

Green said that because of the complicated issues the commission deals with, appointees need to have some expertise, which current members offer.

The commission has final authority on appeals regarding employee disciplinary action and grievances. It also hears appeals relating to decisions involving employer-employee relations, such as industrial disability, retirement determinations and allegations of discrimination.

Final council approval of limit terms is expected Monday.

Information: (714) 536-5492.