First in a series.

Alan Corlin

Because of his height, his carriage, his authoritative voice, his clarity of tone, Alan Corlin’s observations and opinions during his eight years on the City Council sounded like the undoubted Final Word.

If they ever remake “The Exodus,” Mr. Corlin, a newlywed, should be the voice of God.

People liked him when he was on the dais. In 2004 when he ran for a second and final term, he outpolled a field of five.

He lived and he loved his elected position to the max.

As a popular two-termer who left office seven springs ago because of term limits, how does he feel today about the restriction?

There isn’t a hint of a shadow of hesitation in Mr. Corlin’s reasoned reply.

“I have been thinking about this,” he said. “Term limits definitely should be discussed, and they definitely should stay in place.”

Here is why.

“If we had had term limits,” he began, rhetorically, “the Downtown transformation from a dead Downtown to a vibrant destination,  if it had happened at all, it would have been decades into the future.”

Mr. Corlin’s point: The near miraculous conversion of Downtown did not begin until after faces on the dais began to change regularly.

“You need to have new blood for new ideas.”

Although he loved life as an elected official, from the turn of the century to 2008, Mr. Corlin did not consider a second act.

“I never gave thought for one minute to coming back,” he said.

(To be continued)