A notable majority of River Forest voters made clear on April 1 that they want term limits for elected village officials. And that majority will only grow if the elected officials about to begin their final terms of office under the new structure try to pull a fast one by claiming the ballot referendum was advisory and not binding.
It is time for grace, for accepting the will of your neighbors and then making the next four years productive and not an internecine battle. And certainly not a court fight.
That’s our advice for Village President Cathy Adduci and for those village trustees now beginning a third term or even entering a second term, which will take them up to the newly imposed limit.
We’ve seldom been fans of citizen referendums. Our view has been that elections are the time and the mechanism to make change in local government. That said, we’ve also been troubled when, in River Forest and Forest Park, mayoralties or village presidencies extend to near life terms. Oak Park, without the benefit of any ordinance, has it right with an informal tradition that it is two terms and then time for your picture in the hallway. And we know of a couple of those village presidents who contemplated going for one more term and then thought better of it.
Adduci has been a good village president. Much has been accomplished under her leadership. We’re asking her to consider her legacy and not risk tarnishing it in a battle with her constituents.