Agenda - Charter Commission - 04/19/2001

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City Attorney Goodrich noted that consensus of' the Charter Commission during the January 25'" meedng w~ that the main advant.~ges recommending a conversion to the ward system were: (1) Each geographical area of the City, will be assured representation: (2) Councilmembers will be able to have closer contact with their constituents and be more responsive to their needs, thereby being mort accountable to the people who elected them; (3) The voter is more likely to have personal knowledge about the candidate seeking office and thereby wiI1 more likely make an intelligent choice; and (4) The campaign costs to a council candidate are lower. He suggested that the issue be placed on n general referendum ballot for the 2000 election. Councilrnember n,.nc=nic~,.n stated that when the Mayor term was changed, he did not agree with that because he did not want there to be a period of 4 years that khe majority of the Council could not be changed. %"non the change w~ made he did like the effective date so the date was set in the future so it did not affect any incumbents. He stated that the Commission will avoid the appear~ce that this may affect incumbents if' it sets a date out beyond any dates of who is cm"rently sitting. Also the Commission should consider an equal number of at large members = well a..s wards. Commissioner ,Anderson stated that every person would vote a majority if they went to seven person Council rather then a five. She also stated that she liked the idea oF seven members to help spread flue responsibility. Councilmember Hendriksen stated that expanding ~e Council does not mean there has to be a ward system or a primary election. Cormnissioner Keifer questioned it there was a ward system would it include at large candidates. Chairperson Peterson replied that they would de£mJtely include at large candidates. Commissioner Donovan stared that with a ward system, the City would have better government and reduce the campaigning cost, allowing more people to run if the7 chose to do so. City Attorney Goodrich recommended a motion to include the consensus that was reached duhng the previous Charter Commission meeting explaining that ~e main goal is to achieve better govermnent ~qd representation, and to further explore the ward system for the City of Ramsey. Chairperson Peter~on suggested that they add the ward system be combined with at large candidates with ~&e Mayor being voted at large. _- Commissioner Donov~ suggested the wording "would include an at large component". Motion by Commissioner Donovan, seconded by Commissioner Kei£er, to recommend that City Council review the idea of a ward system including an at large component based on the following consensus by the Charter Commission. (t) Each geo~aphicai area of the City will be Charter Commissioa/September 23, 1999 Page 4 of 7