UNION COUNTY — Are term limits for county commissioners legal under the Oregon Constitution?

This is the question the Union County Board of Commissioners wants to bring before the court. Commissioners are limited to two terms, but the legality of term limits have been challenged in other parts of the state.

“ What we’re looking at here is whether or not the county wants to take any action to remove that potential prohibition for county commissioners going forward,” county counsel Wyatt Baum said during the regular session meeting Jan. 22.

Residents brought forward an initiative petition in 2017 that proposed limiting commissioners to two terms. The county board of commissioners adopted that under Ordinance 2017-01.

Baum explained that around the time term limits were implemented locally a similar ordinance was challenged elsewhere in the state. Former Douglas County Commissioner Susan Morgan brought the lawsuit after the county clerk’s office refused to allow her to file for a third term, according to reporting at the time by The News Review.

In 2018 the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the 2016 Douglas County Circuit Court’s decision, which found the term limits unconstitutional.

The Oregon Constitution outlines the necessary qualifications for every county officer. The state constitution says every count officer must be an elector of the county. It goes on to say that other qualifications may be prescribed by law for the county assessor, county sheriff, county coroner and county surveyor.

The News Review reported Presiding Judge Rex Armstrong said in the appeals court decision this means counties do not have the power to add qualifications, including term limits, for commissioners.

“It  overturned limitations, essentially saying that is impermissible restriction on a qualification of a county commissioner under the Oregon Constitution,” Baum said.

However, Baum told the county board the court’s decision only overturned the limitation in Douglas County. It did not overturn term limits statewide and many ordinances remain on the books across the state that impose term limits for county commissioners.

The commissioners have a few choices, Baum said. The county could wait until a sitting commissioner decided to run for a third term. When this happens it would be up to the county clerk to bring the issue before the Union County Circuit Court where a judge would determine whether or not the limitations on term limits is legal.

However, Baum said a more proactive option would be for the county to petition the court  for the validation of a legal government action, which asks the court to rule on the issue.

“ The court’s ability to hear it once somebody runs is going to be very limited and that’s going to slow things down,” Baum said. “But if you did it now, you’d be able to get ahead of whether or not anybody in the future wants to run to address this issue.”

Union County commissioners for the 2024-25 fiscal year receive a salary of $83,316. Commissioners also receive health insurance, money for a retirement fund and other benefits.

Commissioners Matt Scarfo and Paul Anderes are nearing the end of their second terms. While Anderes said he has no plans to run for the seat again, Scarfo expressed interest in another term.

“ I would definitely like to see a third term,” he said. “ Two terms is definitely not enough in this position.”

Scarfo said he’s been working to acquire funding from the Legislature for the Union County Fairgrounds water and wastewater infrastructure project for the past seven years.

Commissioner Jake Seavert said he is not against term limits in general, but as someone who recently stepped into the position, he understands it takes time to learn the intricacies of how Union County operates.

Commissioners unanimously voted to bring the issue before the courts to determine the legality of the ordinance.

“ Any parties that object to it will have the opportunity to come in before the judge and make that argument also,” Baum said.