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<br />interest and does not think the City should be involved in the referendum process. He stated that <br />he wanted to make it clear that he objects to a City financial contribution to this process. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look stated that he did not recall that the City Council had asked the <br />Environmental Quality Board to come up with funding options for this survey. He stated that he <br />recalls discussion about whether the residents would give a higher priority to open space or a <br />civic center. He stated that the City already had a lot of open fields and is not sure the City <br />should find funding sources. He stated that if this group would like to have this on the ballot, <br />they can, if they get enough signatures. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen stated that she plans on abstaining from the vote on this item because <br />she is on a leadership team for Embrace Open Space and noted that she will also abstain from <br />votes on that Board also. She stated that she does not feel it is appropriate for the City Council <br />to call an official board of the City a special interest group as they are acting on the City's behalf. <br /> <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated that to clarify the survey, in talking to staff they would be <br />looking a little broader and ask questions about active parks, passive parks and how people feel <br />about ballfields. He noted that since there is a Councilmember absent, there will need to be four <br />affirmative votes for this item to pass. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look stated that an abstention vote is a yes vote. <br /> <br />City Attorney Goodrich stated that he was unsure if that was true. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look stated that the City Council had discussed reviewing the possible <br />questions and that the survey would not just be about open space. He stated that he feels this <br />issue was trying to be slipped through on the Consent Agenda. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen stated that this survey is not coming from thin air but by concerned <br />citizens. She stated that this is not something that is being pushed by anyone but the citizens. <br /> <br />Councilmember Look stated that he would support a broad effort to try to determine what the <br />citizens want. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec stated that he feels the topic of open space has been coming up more and more <br />and feels the survey will give the City some answers. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dehen stated that he is not opposed to open space, but is simply saying that he <br />does not need a study on it. He reiterated that if there is a group of people who want something <br />included on the ballot, they can follow the correct procedure to get it included. <br /> <br />Councilmember Olson stated that she feels the time to do this survey is now and not later <br />because the City is becoming more and more developed. She stated that finding out 10 or 15 <br />years down the road that citizens wish the City had reserved more open space is too late. <br /> <br />City Council / December 11, 2007 <br />Page 23 of 25 <br />