To the Editor:

The United States' founding fathers envisioned a government where elected officials would serve the nation selflessly, free from the constraints of political parties.

Sylva Town Council voted last week to extend term limits on local boards, allowing for the renewal of veteran members on the ABC board.  “The only two boards we have that this affects is the ABC board and the planning board,” said Mayor Johnny Phillips. 

After a narrow passage in Tribal Council, the September ballot is expected to ask Cherokee voters whether they support legalizing cannabis use for adults 21 and older.

During a special called meeting Thursday, Sept. 29, the Cherokee Tribal Council passed an update to the tribe’s election ordinance that gets rid of term limits for executive offices and makes absentee voting available to all tribal members, regardless of residence or employment.

After tabling  it last month for further discussion, on March 3  the Cherokee Tribal Council unanimously approved two referendum questions that will ask voters to approve term limits and staggered terms for Tribal Council.

In an unusual sequence of events Feb. 3, the Cherokee Tribal Council passed a resolution outlining a set of referendum questions seeking to bring term limits and staggered terms to the body — only to bring it up for reconsideration minutes later and vote unanimously to table it.

During this month’s Annual Council sessions, Tribal Council’s structure and compensation loomed large in the discussion — and in the vote. 

After nearly an hour of debate, Tribal Council voted unanimously last week to place term limits on members of the two boards that oversee tribal gaming operations.

Term limits could soon be lifted for the Jackson County ABC Board, pending a final vote from the Jackson County Commissioners. 

A petition drive is underway in Cherokee aiming to place term limits on Tribal Council members and give tribal members the right to recall elected officials.