Goodbye, term limits

The Killeen City Council voted tonight to continue in office Johnny Frederick, chairman of the city Planning and Zoning Commission, even though he has already served on the board for as long as the city term-limit ordinance allows.

In effect, the Council set a precedent that term limits no longer apply to the boards and commissions that do the bulk of the policy-making in Killeen city government.  It's just as bad an idea as it sounds.

I've never heard anyone say anything bad about Johnny Frederick.  By all accounts he has done a good job as a member and as chairman of P&Z.  His expereince is highly prized by the other 8 members of the board and, I think, by the city staff.  But there are reasons -- good, strong, and widely-acknowledged reasons -- for term limits. Councilman Harris, who was one of three council members to vote against the precedent-setting reappointment, pointed out one of them: we term-limit appointees so that others can build up knowledge and expertise.

Other powerful reasons for term limits, unremarked on by the City Council, are

• Term limits can help break a cycle of cronyism.  This reason doesn't apply to Mr Frederick, but it may to the next term-limited member the Council's precedent allows to remain.
• Term limits encourage ordinary citizens to get involved in policy-making.  A large number of volunteers for board and commission seats were motivated when they heard that "a slot was opening up."
• Term limits put a boundary on the influence of special interests.
• Term limits encourage diversity and fresh ideas.

My main hope for a way out of the mess created by Mayor Cosper and council-members Blackstone, Segarra, Gilmore and Rivera is that Johnny Frederick will realize it's in the best interest of Killeen that he decline what must be a flattering offer to continue on P&Z.