Plum Won't Consider Limit to Council Term Length

Council won’t have to worry about voting next week on whether to set term limits for elected officials.

The item had been tabled at last month’s meeting due to the absence of councilman Charles McMeekin. McMeekin had initially proposed that the borough consider setting term limits for its elected officials. But now, after additional input from borough solicitor Bruce Dice, the issue is off the table.

Council members had postponed discussion and decision on the issue last month, deciding it would be unfair to McMeekin, who was absent from that meeting.

McMeekin said that he thought borough officials shouldn’t be able to serve two consecutive terms.

“It gives other people the opportunity to come in for public service,” he said. “Personally, I’d like to see it.”

At previous meetings he had suggested the borough address the issue of term limits. At the March meeting, McMeekin had suggested council adopt an ordinance setting term limits, according to the borough’s minutes, which are available online.

McMeekin has served on council for 12 years. He said at the March meeting that he decided not to run again because he believes in term limits, the minutes said.

Currently, council members serve four year terms and can run for re-election as soon as their term ends.

And it will stay that way, given input from Dice.

Dice said that in order to set term limits, the borough would have to change the form of government to a home rule government from a borough.

“Boroughs and townships cannot do that,” he said, in reference to setting term limits.

McMeekin was not in favor of considering a change to Plum’s form of government. He said an item regarding term limits would not be included on the agenda for council’s May 9 meeting.

“It made it short and sweet,” he said of the information Dice provided. “It’s not an agenda item.”

In other business:

• Council received two bids for retrofitting of storm water ponds in the borough’s watershed. BJC Enterprises of Monroeville put in a bid of $49,595 to perform the work. Pampino Landscaping bid $53,521. Council will vote to award a bid to one of the two companies at its May 9 regular meeting. The funds for the retrofit were received from a grant from the state's Growing Greener program.

• Mayor Rich Hrivnak said he and Monroeville Mayor Greg Erosenko may collaborate to assist communities in the tornado-stricken Midwest. Though their plans are just in the beginning stages, Hrivnak emphasized that any efforts would not be cost-prohibitive. Efforts, he said, may include as little as a collection fom borough officials and others willing to donate.
  
  “We’re in the real early stages right now. Everything’s on the table,” he said. “I think it’s a really noble effort on Greg’s part."