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3830 PILOT I<NOB ROAD <br />5AGAN, MINNESOTA 551~22.1897 <br />PHONE: (619) 454.B100 <br />FAX; (619) 454-836-~ <br /> <br /> December 27, 1990 <br /> <br />KAREN FLOOD <br />r.~AGUE OF WOM~N VOTERS <br />1518 LONE OAK ROAD <br />EAGAN M/~ 55121- <br /> <br /> DAVID ]<. <br /> <br /> TIM <br /> 11-~OOC~ V/^O-(T-~ <br /> <br /> THO'~AS HE~ <br /> <br />£UGF_N~ VAN OV~E~ <br />C~ C~ <br /> <br />Re: Leaque of Women Voters/C~t? Counc{I Ward System Back,round <br /> <br />Dear Karen: <br /> <br /> This letter is a follow-up to our telephone conversation concerning <br /> background information on ward systems of election in Minnesota <br /> cities. I have enclosed several items which I will briefly <br /> describe below. Before doing so, however, I will provide some <br /> brief background from my discussion with representatives of the <br /> Leaque of Minnesota cities, the City of Eden Prairie and the City <br /> o f stillwater. ' <br /> <br /> ~In general terms, it is the position of the League of Minnesota <br />~ ~ C~tles that State law does not allow statutory cities such as Eagan <br />~ '~. to form wards without special legislation or adoption of the home <br /> rule form of goverrument. <br /> <br />As we discussed on the phone, there are a variety of benefits and <br />disadvantages to wards. A list of the benefits and disadvantages <br />as identified by the City of Stillwater is enclosed. Most of these <br />reflect the issues' we discussed previously. An additional <br />disadvantage in a growing city is the need to constantly modify <br />ward boundaries to insure equal representation. <br /> <br />Also enclosed is a copy of a letter tha~ the League of Minnesota <br />Cities sent to the City of Jordan who is considering a similar <br />issue together with expansion from a five to a seven member <br />Council. An attachment to this correspondence is the League's <br />Information for Municipal Officials concerning the ward system <br />which is enclosed; .You will note that this most recent document is <br />dated 1965. The reason is that until recently, the ward system has <br />not received significant attention since the late 60's or early <br />70's. <br /> <br />Because one of the means by which the City could set up wards is <br />the adoption of a home rule charter, I have included a League <br />document outlining the advantages and disadvantages of a charter as <br /> <br />-14- <br /> <br />THE LONE OAK TREE...THE SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND GROWTH IN OUR cOMMUNITY <br /> <br /> <br />