A Montgomery County Community Is Considering Imposing Term Limits On Its Elected Officials

LOWER GWYNEDD, PA — Elected officials in Lower Gwynedd Township are considering passing an ordinance that would institute term limits for those elected to the board of supervisors.

During their meeting next week, the board will take up the proposed ordinance, which would limit the number of years individuals could serve on the body.

Currently, Lower Gwynedd Township has no term limits for those elected to the position of township supervisor, but officials say they have the authority to do so, citing a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case out of the city of Bethlehem, Pa., which "affirmed the body's authority to promulgate an ordinance limiting the number of times a municipal officer can stand for reelection where such authority was not precluded by statute or otherwise ...," the township states in its public notice of the upcoming meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

In the public notice, the board says that it believes it is in the "best interests of the Township to impose term limits on the office of Township Supervisor."

The notice does not offer any insight as to whether any one particular issue may have caused the board to consider adopting such an ordinance.

The proposal, which would amend Title Four of the Township Code, says that if the ordinance is passed, current and future members of the board of supervisors, whether elected or appointed, would be limited to hold office for no more than two consecutive terms.

The exact text of the proposed ordinance can be found here.

A Zoom link to the meeting is contained within the proposed ordinance for anyone who wishes to attend the proceeding virtually.