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Commissioner Deemer replied that the Commission's action would be placing the question <br />before the voters to make the decision whether or not the City should go to a ward system. <br />Commissioner LaMere stated that she wouid be in favor of the alternate section lines 26 through <br />33 because if the ward system is approved by the voters than everyone has the option to elect <br />their own representative for their ward. City Administrator Norman noted that there would not <br />be an assigning of wards, but candidates would only be able to run for a ward if they lived within <br />in the ward boundaries. Commissioner LaMere stated that the 2000 elected Councilmembers <br />would 'be assigned a ward and the City would be making an assumption that that Councilmember <br />would fit into the ward. Commissioner Swanson stated that the Councilmembers are going to be <br />the same regardless of what the City identifies them as. Patti Kurak, 15001 Sunfish Lake <br />Boulevard NW, Ramsey, stated that the Commission has expressed concern over the <br />Councilmembers that would be up for election in 2002, but she felt the Commission should be <br />considering the impact on the Councilmembers that were elected in 2000, as their terms don't <br />expire until 2004. She stated that she ran as a Councilmember to serve the City as a whole and <br />she knows the Commission is talking about placing her in a ward and changing her job <br />description without her opinion. Commissioner Childs replied that when a candidate files to run <br />for office they can choose to rub at large or for a ward. Councilmember Kurak stated that the <br />Commission is proposing to appoint two Councilmembers to a ward in 2002. Commissioner <br />Childs replied that the two seated Councilmembers would be assigned a ward, but still be <br />considered as elected at large. City Attorney Goodrich noted that according to line 13, <br />Councilmember Kurak would be assigned to a ward. Commissioner Childs stated that when <br />Councilmember Kurak ran for office, she ran at large and just because they assign someone to a <br />ward it would not change Councilmember Kurak's position on the Council. Any ward <br />representative does not vote on an issue that deals in other areas of the City. Commissioner <br />Swanson stated that his understanding of a ward system is that it is an election process and than <br />when a candidate is elected and seated on the Council they would not act any different and would <br />not have a different job description than the current Councilmembers. City Attorney Goodrich <br />replied that Commissioner Swanson was correct. City Administrator Norman stated that a ward <br />system only matters during election time. The Council elected under a ward system would <br />represent the entire City as they do today. Commissioner Ebel stated that she felt that with the <br />City growing it is important that they go to a ward system, Commissioner LaMere stated that if <br />they go to a ward system residents would only be able to vote for candidates within their ward. <br />She stated that assigning the wards in 2002 and designating the two 2000 elected <br />Councilmembers at large would give everyone the opportunity to elect their representative. <br />Commissioner Deemer noted that he preferred the alternate option. He inquired if it would be <br />possible to let the citizens decide which transition schedule they would like to implement. City <br />Attorney Goodrich replied that it would be possible, but he was not sure how they could make <br />10,000 voters understand the alternatives. He felt that the Commission should take a position on <br />the issue. <br /> <br />Motion Carried, Voting Yes: Chairperson Vogt, Commissioners Milless, Bertzyk, Childs, Ebel, <br />and Swanson. Voting No: Commissioners Deemer, Herlke, and LaMere. Absent: None. <br /> <br />Charter Commission/July t9, 2001 <br /> Page 4 of 5 <br /> <br /> <br />