Staff Report
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Finance Director, Town Clerk, and Town
Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 03/05/2019
ITEM NO: 5
DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2019
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: PROVIDE DIRECTION REGARDING POTENTIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER
TERM LIMITS
RECOMMENDATION:
Provide direction regarding potential Town Council member term limits.
BACKGROUND:
On April 14, 2014, the Town Council discussed the potential for term limits for Council
members.
Attachment 1 contains the staff report for the 2014 item. At that meeting, the Council
discussed the matter and requested that staff provide information regarding how other
jurisdictions adopted term limits. There was interest to know if the City Councils themselves
placed the item on the ballot or if they were initiated by the voters.
In response to the request, staff provided the Town Council with information that most term
limit proposals were initiated or placed on the ballot by the respective City Councils (see
Attachment 2). No further action was taken.
DISCUSSION:
Los Gatos Town Council members are not subject to term limits and may run for re -election
without constraints. The process for enacting term limits would be through a ballot initiative.
If the Town Council is interested in pursuing term limits, the measure could be placed on the
ballot for the 2020 election. The final opportunity to place an item on the 2020 November
ballot is expected to be August 2020.
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SUBJECT: PROVIDE DIRECTION REGARDING POTENTIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER TERM
LIMITS.
DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2019
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2019\03-05-19\TC Term Limits\Staff Report.docx 2/28/2019 9:23 AM
DISCUSSION (continued):
The Council may wish to discuss the following term limit options and direct staff with a motion
as to which option to pursue:
• Prepare a measure to establish two four-year terms per Council Member (eight years
total elected service).
• Prepare a measure to establish two four-year terms per Council Member with the ability
to serve two additional four-year terms after a two-year break from elected service (16
years total elected service).
• Prepare a measure to establish two four-year terms per Council Member with the ability
to serve two additional four-year terms after a four-year break from elected service (16
years of elected service).
• Prepare a measure to establish three four-year terms per Council Member with the
ability to serve additional one four-year terms after a two-year break (16 years of
elected service).
• Prepare a measure with other term limit provisions.
• Do not prepare a measure to establish term limits.
• Take other action.
If Council would like to move forward with a measure pursuant to Government Code Section
36502 it would have to be placed on a regularly scheduled election, which is November 2020,
and the term limits would apply to the next Council election in 2022.
CONCLUSION:
Staff looks forward to receiving Council direction on this matter.
COORDINATION:
The preparation of this report was coordinated with the Town Manager, Town Clerk, and Town
Attorney’s Offices.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The provision of direction regarding term limits has no fiscal impact.
A request has been made to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters for an estimate of costs
to place a ballot measure on the 2020 ballot but has not yet been received.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: PROVIDE DIRECTION REGARDING POTENTIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER TERM
LIMITS.
DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2019
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2019\03-05-19\TC Term Limits\Staff Report.docx 2/28/2019 9:23 AM
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. 2014 Staff report regarding term limits
2. Santa Clara County Term Limit Survey
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