A century worth of public service will walk out the door this month when term limits end the political terms of a half dozen Carson Valley's elected officials.
In a classic example of the past determining the future, a term limit craze aimed at the U.S. House of Representatives more than a decade ago has missed its target by a mile.
In the intervening time, more than 15,000 people have moved to Douglas County. Those people have had no problem re-electing the most experienced among them to public office.
Bev Page, Randy Slater, Bruce Jacobsen, Ray Wilson and Bill Donohoe were both re-elected multiple times by the voters of this county.
If dissatisfaction with their work had risen to the point where they needed to be removed from office, others would have stood for election and the voters would have approved them.
No one even showed up to run for Donohoe's seat on the Genoa Town Board. With a small pool of voters and potential candidates, like Genoa, the day could come when there's no one left to serve on the town board.
We believe voters are smart enough to determine for themselves who will best serve their interests. If they aren't, then our republic is doomed.
