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Mayor Hardin felt it would also be frustrating. You would like to see issues get resolved <br />and half of the neighborhood wants something and half of it does not and you are only one <br />vote on the Council. It may not be possible to bring some issues to resolution. <br /> <br />Commissioner Kiefer asked if Mayor Hardin and Mr. Pearson felt the City should be <br />strictly represented by wards or if a percentage should be at large also. <br /> <br />Mr. Pearson stated it would depend on how many Council people you have. <br /> <br />Mayor Hardin felt there should be Councilmembers at large also. <br /> <br />Commissioner Goode asked why Mayor Hardin supported having both ward and at large <br />Councilmembers. <br /> <br />Mayor Hardin stated because people representing smaller wards may vote a certain way. If <br />this would be the way the City would go, the Mayoral seat should be elected at large and a <br />Councilmember elected at large to bring some of that experience to that position. The <br />Mayor's term is two years now and he wasn't sure if it should change if the City was <br />divided into wards or not. He expressed a concern about having too many new people on <br />the Council. <br /> <br />Mr. Pearson stated if he got back on the Council, he would not want a bigger Council. He <br />felt the bigger the Council, the more bogged down you get. It takes too long to get <br />something done. He felt that the Mayor's position should be extended to four years. He <br />suggested it takes about two years to become familiar with the City and procedures and <br />then it's time to start campaigning again. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen asked if there should be term limitations. <br /> <br />Mayor Hardin stated he would support that. <br /> <br />Mr. Pearson stated he, too, would support that because with new people on the job, you <br />get new ideas. <br /> <br />Mayor Hardin stated trying to determine a better electoral process, ward system, etc. will <br />be a difficult job. He suggested looking at where the City is right now and where it may be <br />in 10 years, 30 years and 50 years. Maybe we need to look at phasing this in and have the <br />City's population determine when the fa'st phase should be and again when the second - <br />phase should happen. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen commented that the Charter perhaps shouldn't try to go too far into the <br />future. We can "tinker" with it and 10 years down the road, the next Charter can make <br />changes. He also commented that if it remains all at large, you could have a concentration <br />in one area if a group of people get themselves organized; the entire Council could be <br />elected from that area. The ward system would eliminate the possibility of this happening. <br />We do not have geographical politics now but it is a possibility. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen thanked Mayor Hardin and Mr. Pearson for coming to meeting and <br />sharing their thoughts on these issues. He asked that Staff give a reminder to the rest of the <br />candidates about the survey and send out the returns with the next Charter agenda. This <br />case will be placed on the next agenda for more discussion. <br /> <br />Charter Commission/January 19, 1995 <br /> Page 4 of 8 <br /> <br /> <br />