Agenda - Charter Commission - 04/19/2001

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the Charier Commission reviewed the requirement of precinct liaison meetmg~. Council made the request because of the lack of citizen anendance at p~t m~t~gs of ~s ~pa. B~caus~ of ~e opponunff7 for ~f~n input ~t ew~ Council me~tin~, it w~ felt ~t ~se liaison m~fia~s were u~ecess~. No punic input w~ received at ~e he~ng and ~e ordin~ce wt~ in=oduc:d wi~ a 5/0 vote by Co,cji. Council, wi~ a 5/0 vote, then adopted OrdN~ce ~93-09 repea~g ~e requirement of precinct li~mon meetings be~en ~e Ciw Council ~d ~ey re=id:nm on Tuesday, June 8, 1993. Up to ~e point m time when ~'~ ordnance w~ adopt:d, Council w~ appointed to a pr=croci. ~en Council adopted ~eir org~ization resolmion on f~u~ ~, I994, all of ~e Council .w~ listed ~ se~mg at-ling:. The Charier still r:a~' ~at Co,cfM:ruben shall act a~ liaisons for certain preeners. It appe~s it w~ ~ oversi~t to not delete ~s section Chairperson Petcrson questioned if it interferes with the ward process. City Attorney Goodrich provided an explanation. Motion by Commissioner Donovan, seconded by Commissioner Vogt, to recommend that City Council schedule a public hearing to introduc: an ordinance to amend Chapter 3, Section .3.2 of the Home Rifle City Charter. Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Peterson, Commissioners Donovan, Vogt, Kei£er, and Spain-Brist. Voting No: None. Absent: Anderson, Max-n, Netzlof'f, and Swokowski. Commissioner ,amderson arrived at 8:00 p.m. Casa #2: Ward System Proposal City Administrator Norman stated that the Charter Commission had active discussions about changing the current at-large Council election system to a ward system during their meetings in 1993 and 1994. A survey was presented to the Charter Commission at the December 1993 meeting, with a 71.9% f'avorabie consensus in favor of some election meghanism other than the current at-large system. The topic has been revisited in the last two Commission agendas. The Charter Commission agreed to consider d'~e ward system as part of its next agenda, lie explained that he w~ directed to discuss the matter with colleagues of ward system cities and report his conv:rs.,.tion to ~'~e Commission. The City Manager of Brooklyn Park stated that it is more who the candidates ar: rather then where they live. The results are varied when all is said and done. He stated that with the ward system it is true that the cost.~ are lass and are more focused effort~, but when it comes to specific policy decision when it involves specific improvements there car!__ be tenancy to di~vide up the goods. When there is an at large system that san also happen if th:S, all come from a certain area. Another positive to the ward system is the perception of'the public. Coon Rapids Jerry Splinter, stated that the at large elements outweigh the ward system of the Council. He has not noticed a difference in the type of candidate, lie recommend .not getting into the situation like Maple Grove with so many candidates nm. mag causing complete confusion to the residents. Charter Commission/September 23, 1999 Page 3 ot'7