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wards (three wards plus the Mayor and one at large). They felt that if the area was too <br />large, the Councilmember could no longer conduct neighborhood-type campaigns. With <br />the population increase, the ward council were asked to represent 18,000 persons each - <br />too large to represent and too large to be able to campaign effectively. Historically every <br />citizen voted for his ward, the at large and the Mayor. The positive was that everyone <br />voted for the majority of the Council. The Charter Commission recommended five wards <br />plus at large and the Mayor. With this system, every citizen no longer had the opportunity <br />to vote for the majority. Council "bucked" the change and the Charter threatened to sue to <br />get the issue on the ballot. Mr. Johnson stated that the Charter was trying to accomplish <br />more local neighborhood interest. Mr. Johnson stated that the goal was to reduce the <br />number of citizens being represented by each of the ward Council (reduced from 18,000 to <br />10,000 in the City of Coon Rapids). The vote was 53% in favor of the Charter change. <br />The Charter Commission did not do much campaigning for the issue but did speak at <br />various service clubs and had a debate with Councilmembers on the local cable channel. <br />He stated that of the Home Rule Charter Cities with 25,000 in population, only Brooklyn <br />Center has an exclusive at large system. The trend seems to be toward the ward system. <br /> <br />Commissioner Donovan inquired if Coon Rapids has a primary election to which Mr. <br />Johnson replied that they do have a primary election anytime more than two finalists are in <br />the running for an office. He added that their Charter Commission is now reviewing terms <br />for the offices. <br /> <br />Vice-Chairperson Goode inquired what the present terms are to which Mr. Johnson replied <br />that it is three years for the Councilmembers and two years for the Mayor and the at large <br />Councilmember. <br /> <br />Vice-Chairperson Goode felt that it would be beneficial for Ramsey's Charter Commission <br />to talk with someone from a city that had just made the change from at large to ward. <br /> <br />Commissioner Swokowski stated he had a conversation with a gentleman in St. Paul who <br />offered to "dig up" some information from when St. Paul went to a ward system years ago. <br />He (Swokowski) offered to contact this gentleman again to see if he would be interested in <br />speaking -to Ramsey's Charter Commission. He also will be speaking with a gentleman <br />from Harnline University who may have some good information to bring back to the <br />Commission. <br /> <br />Commissioner Donovan stated he contacted the Humphrey Institute and after some time, <br />finally got the name of a professor who may have some information on ward versus at <br />large systems. He (Donovan) left a message on the professor's answering machine but he <br />hadn't heard back prior to this meeting. <br /> <br />Commissioner Marn stated she, too, had spoken with someone who could possibly offer <br />some information. She offered to talk more with this person and bring back the <br />information to the next Charter Commission meeting. <br /> <br />Commissioner Donovan commented that Ramsey's Council appears to be working nicely <br />together and suggested that maybe going to a ward system would increase the competition <br />between the urban service area and the rural area. He added that maybe it would create <br />friction between the wards and inquired if a ward system would really improve the City. <br />He felt that right now the City Council is looking out for the entire City. <br /> <br />Vice-Chairperson Goode stated that there are obviously pros and cons of both systems and <br />added that with the community growing as it is, there may be a need to initiate the ward <br />system in the future. <br /> <br />Charter Commission/January 20, 1994 <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br /> <br />