Des Plaines voters will have another say on term limits

Des Plaines residents will have the chance to strengthen term limits for elected officials when they vote this spring.

After a lengthy and occasionally acrimonious discussion, a divided city council on Tuesday voted to put a plan on the April 4 ballot that, if approved, would limit the mayor, the city's eight aldermen and the city clerk to just two terms in those positions, rather than two consecutive terms.

Those officials have been restricted to two consecutive 4-year terms since 1998. They can run for additional terms after breaks in service, and they can run for other municipal offices.

Last month, nearly 77% of Des Plaines voters rejected a proposal to remove term limits for the aldermen and clerk. The mayor wouldn't have been affected. Despite repeatedly opposing the concept of term limits, Mayor Andrew Goczkowski proposed the new question.

Among the aldermen, the proposal was most vehemently opposed by veteran 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman.

Brookman, who was reelected to a second-straight term in 2021 and also served on the council from 1997 to 2009, called the question's language "vague and ambiguous" and said it isn't clear if it would prevent elected officials from serving in different elected offices at city hall after their two terms are up.

In response, attorney Brooke D. Lenneman said serving two terms in one post wouldn't prevent someone from being elected to a different office if the proposal were enacted. Regardless, Brookman called the proposal "bad public policy."

Sixth Ward Alderman Malcolm Chester, who is unable to run for reelection in April because he's in his second-straight term, spoke against the proposal, too. He said efforts that restrict people's ability to vote for whom they want are undemocratic. He also complained about low turnout in Des Plaines' last local election.

On the other side of the argument, 2nd Ward Alderman Colt Moylan thought the proposed question was clear and fair.

Ultimately, the council voted 5-4 to put the question on the ballot, with Goczkowski voting last to break a 4-4 tie.

Joining him were Moylan, 3rd Ward Alderman Sean Oskerka, 4th Ward Alderman Artur Zadrozny and 8th Ward Alderman Shamoon Ebrahimi.

Joining Brookman and Chester in opposition were 1st Ward Alderman Mark Lysakowski and 7th Ward Alderman Patsy Smith.