Maplewood City Council Tuesday evening cast the initial votes to give Maplewood voters, in April, the chance to limit how long city council members can remain in office.
City council members and the mayor could be elected to serve three 3-year terms with a maximum of three full consecutive terms (9 years) if passed at the next meeting.
Council members Tim Dunn and and David Cerven cast the only no votes. “Why fix something that’s not broken,” Dunn said, noting the bill was number 6000 — the 6000th bill passed by the city. He said the city should trust the voters to put a councilman out if they’re not doing their job.
“I think voting is what makes term limits, especially when you’re not talking about big money, especially when you’re looking at small community,” Dunn said after the meeting.
“I say, if people want to stay in, great. If people don’t like them when they’ve been in, get rid of them. But to force somebody out — I’m in my 23rd year — I haven’t been accused of corruption, I’ve done a good job. But if you want to stay in, you’re serving the community, there’s no reason to term limit (a council member),” he said.
The bill also changes the mayor’s length of term from four years to three, to eventually stagger the years the position of mayor is on the ballot so a council member can run for mayor without sacrificing his or her seat on the council.
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The council also gave preliminary approval — with the final vote coming at the next meeting — for Side Project Brewing microbrewery to operate at 7458 Manchester Road.
Cory King, who currently operates Side Project Cellar tasting room on Marietta Avenue with his wife Karen, plans to move his brewing operation from leased space in south St. Louis to the building on Manchester — it was formerly the St. Louis Closet Company.
According to meeting notes, the building is a total of 7,800 square feet. King proposes that 2,400 square feet will be for retail (initially open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.) leaving 5,400 square feet for brewing.
See also: Side Project microbrewery moving to Maplewood
The council also discussed outdoor dining for restaurants. City Manager Marty Corcoran said some restaurants had contacted him, wanting to keep furniture out longer than the city’s current seasonal limit — Nov. 30 to March 1. The purpose of the law is to facilitate easier removal of snow and ice on sidewalks.
After a discussion about whether the city or businesses clear the sidewalks, and who has liability, Corcoran suggested that the law not be enforced this winter — allowing any business with outdoor dining to have furniture out any time all winter. The city will review the law after the winter.
See also: Sidewalk dining season ends in Maplewood: city says remove the tables
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Is it possible to post the proposed wording for the amendment? The city’s agenda for the special meeting next Monday is of no help.
Q!
So how did this bill come to be introduced? The city council wants term limits? Is there a backstory here?
Q!
The term limits bill came from the council members — the four that voted for it — Greenberg, Faulkingham, Wolf and Wood.