The chair of the City Plan Commission is over his term limit, and Dallas has been put on notice.

Mike Northrup, an Old East Dallas resident and a lawyer, wrote to commissioners Thursday, citing rules in the city’s charter that set term limits for board members and commissioners.

“Your service to the City beyond your years of eligibility to do so is admirable,” Northup said in the email. “However, it is past time for you to step away from “the Horseshoe” and allow an eligible appointee to serve as a plan commissioner.”

“No one individual should be so important that his or her continued involvement puts the public’s business in jeopardy,” he said.

Northrup’s letter could have deeper implications after Dallas voters in November approved Proposition S, which waives governmental immunity and exposes the city to litigation if it violates state or local law.

Last month, Northup and a group of over 100 Dallas residents sent a letter to the City Council urging them to reappoint board and commission members who have overstayed their term, citing provisions in the city’s charter that set term limits.

“Every day that these individuals serve without authority to do so undermines the public confidence in the work product of the boards and commissions in question, and it puts that same work product at risk for invalidation,” the letter said.

It is not clear how many individuals have overstayed their terms. A city spokesperson said in December officials were in “receipt of the letter and will respond at the appropriate time.” City officials did not immediately respond to a follow-up call in May in January.

Typically, council members appoint volunteers to influential boards such as the City Plan Commission and the Park Board. The city’s charter states members who have served four consecutive two-year terms are not eligible to serve again on the same board until at least one term has elapsed.

Members serve until they are termed out or “until their successors are appointed and qualified,” the charter reads.

The December letter mentioned Shidid, who was first appointed in 2013 and has been the chair of the commission since 2019.

Shidid was appointed by council member Jaime Resendez, but the chair is picked by the mayor. Shidid did not respond to requests for comment after either the letter or the email were released.

Resendez, who appointed Shidid, told The Dallas Morning News “I will defer to the city attorneys for any legal conclusions or guidance moving forward regarding the letter.”

This year, the City Plan Commission grappled with several hot-button issues, such as Forward Dallas, the city’s updated land-use guide and the rezoning fight that has engulfed Pepper Square in North Dallas.

“What does it mean if the city’s business is led by someone that isn’t eligible to be there?” Northup said.

Northrup said he began drafting the letter following the passage of propositions S and U, which waive the city’s municipal immunity and mandate the city allocate 50% of any new revenue growth year-over-year to the police and fire pension system and other public safety initiatives.

The two propositions, Northrup said, represented “the mood of the public” and the letter supporters wanted to tell the city, “Here’s maybe a small thing to solve.”

The stars shine bright in Dallas.

More often than not, it’s also how the Dallas Cowboys conduct business — the franchise searches far and wide for the biggest names in the NFL. America’s Team would have it no other way … especially in a coaching search.

After their parting of ways with Mike McCarthy, it comes as no surprise that everyone is trying to keep up with what Jerry Jones’ team will do. There’s the potential big splash (see: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders). There’s the homegrown talent, like Kellen Moore. There’s the outside-the-box pick, like Jason Witten. There’s the more conventional route, like Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier.

The list will almost certainly grow over time as the team looks to steal headlines and, eventually, win games with their next hire. Anything goes deep in the heart of Texas, which makes for an exciting coaching search to follow.

Here’s the latest on the Cowboys’ search for a new head coach.

COWBOYS COACHING CANDIDATES: Deion Sanders among Mike McCarthy replacement options

Cowboys head coach search rumors, news, updates

This section will be updated as interviews occur and relevant news about potential candidates becomes available.

Kellen Moore a top candidate for Cowboys’ HC

On Thursday, the Cowboys officially requested to interview Moore, the current Eagles’ offensive coordinator. He formerly held the same title in Dallas before the sides mutually agreed to part ways following the 2022 season. In the four seasons that Moore coached the offense, it finished in the top-10 three times.

Moore, undrafted out of Boise State, played for the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017 before transitioning into the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2018. He was then given the OC responsibilities from 2019 to 2022 and was a holdover from Jason Garrett’s staff to McCarthy’s.

Rapoport said Moore is considered a “top candidate” for the job and that his familiarity with the organization makes this potential partnership one to keep an eye on.

MORE: Troy Aikman rips Cowboys for parting with Mike McCarthy: ‘Not a real plan’

Deion Sanders would ‘almost certainly’ accept Cowboys’ job if offered

Sanders was initially believed to be a long shot, but the noise is getting too loud to ignore. Jones is reportedly enamored with the idea, according to Werder, meaning the rumors will continue to swirl until the search is over. NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported Thursday that Sanders approached Colorado’s athletic director, Rick George, on Tuesday about additional money for NIL and his staff, but was met with resistance. Sanders, who played for the Cowboys, previously said he had no interest in coaching in the NFL. That seems to have changed in recent weeks.

Robert Saleh to interview this week

Saleh, the former Jets coach, is set to interview for the Cowboys’ job this week. The former 49ers’ defensive coordinator seems likely to land a job for 2025, whether that is as a coordinator or head coach.

Cowboys request interview with Seahawks’ Leslie Frazier

Frazier is also slated to interview for the Dallas gig. He comes with plenty of experience, serving previously as the head coach in Minnesota and more recently as the Buffalo defensive coordinator before spending last season in Seattle.

Jason Witten was seen as potential heir apparent to Mike McCarthy

Witten was reportedly floated as a potential heir apparent in negotiations with McCarthy, who opted to pursue other opportunities, according to Slater. Jones thinks very highly of Witten, but it’s unclear whether he will be a head coaching candidate. The former Cowboys’ tight end doesn’t have any NFL or college coaching experience, but has been the head coach at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas, since 2021.

Cowboys coaching candidates

Here is a look at who the Cowboys have interest in or requested to interview thus far:

• Deion Sanders, Colorado head coach
• Robert Saleh, ex-Jets coach
• Leslie Frazier, Seahawks assistant head coach
• Kellen Moore, Eagles offensive coordinator