Jim Fields says it’s really no secret he will not seek a third term on the Hamilton County Commission in 2018.
Fields, a 62-year-old attorney who represents the Signal Mountain and Waldens Ridge communities, said he made it plain when he first ran for office in 2010.
Back then, he said he favored term limits and did not see himself serving on the commission for more than two terms, according to Times Free Press archives.
“I just believe that government is best when citizens do the job for some period of time and then they get out to let somebody else do it,” Fields said after a recent commission meeting. “I think you need fresh blood, I think you need fresh ideas. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
Fields said he believes the nation’s founding fathers never really envisioned long-term service by elected officials. Turnover of elected representatives “keeps everybody on their toes,” Fields said.