When Is Enough Enough?
by Elaine Cogan

How long have you served as a planning commissioner? How long should you serve? Elaine Cogan asks whether you know when enough is enough.

The notion of term limits, particularly for elected officials, is gaining momentum across the country. The distrust of the electorate's wisdom to vote undesirable people out of office is being replaced by strictures on how long they can serve. Most planning boards, whether elected or appointed, do not have term limits and in some communities it is not unusual to have at least some members who serve ten, fifteen years or longer.

When is enough enough? Is it advantageous to have formal term limits or are there other ways to balance the need for fresh ideas with wisdom and institutional memory? ...

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