Charter panel adopts 12‑year service cap for appointed boards after split debate

The New Canaan Charter Revision Commission voted April 6 to impose a 12‑year consecutive service limit on members of appointed boards and commissions. The motion, made during an extended discussion of term-limit alternatives, passed on a roll‑call vote six to four.

Supporters said a ceiling will create opportunities for new participants and help avoid entrenched long-term incumbency. "If you have to have term limits here, we have something as a placeholder," one commissioner said in support. Opponents, particularly those focused on land-use bodies such as Planning & Zoning, argued that cumulative experience is valuable for complex technical decisions and that strict limits risk losing institutional expertise.

After debate the commission modified proposals and settled on a uniform 12‑year consecutive limit applied to appointed boards, with the understanding that drafting will include grandfathering or transition language so current members may complete their existing terms. Commissioners also discussed alternatives — limits by number of consecutive terms, rotation of chairs, and setting some limits by ordinance rather than by charter — but adopted the single 12‑year rule at this meeting.

A roll-call record taken during the meeting shows the motion carried with yes votes from several commissioners; four members voted no. The commission directed staff to draft explicit wording (including grandfathering provisions) and to map affected memberships so drafters can assess practical impacts when the text is circulated for legal review and the public hearing.

The proposal will be incorporated into the overall charter draft ahead of the CRC's public hearing later this month.