New lawsuit claims Warren City Council members are violating term limits

Suit filed on behalf of city council candidate

WARREN, Mich. – A lawsuit filed late Friday claims four incumbent Warren City Council members are violating the city’s charter by staying on council too long.

“The law either means what it says or it doesn’t,” attorney Jim Kelly said.

Warren’s city charter says those elected to city council, treasurer or clerk can spend three terms, or 12 years, in that position and then they are term limited out.

A former city attorney interpreted that to mean you could run for one city council seat and spend three terms and then run for another council seat for another three terms.

“Three terms is three terms on city council; not three terms in this seat not three terms in that seat. It’s not musical chairs. It’s city government,” Kelly said.

Kelly's filed the suit on behalf of Connor Berdy, who is a candidate for council.

“Term limits exist so they can keep fresh, new ideas coming to city council, but when you have these same people running over and over again, finding loopholes and technicalities that doesn’t help the people,” Berdy said.

Berdy’s case is headed to the Macomb Circuit Court, but don’t be surprised if this ultimately ends up at the Court of Appeals for a final decision.


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