Agenda - Council - 02/14/1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Hardin felt it would also be frustrating. You would like to see issues get resolved arid half of the neighborhood wants something and half of it does not and you are only one v6te on the Council. It may not be possible to bring some issues to resolution. Commissioner Kiefer asked if Mayor Hardin and Mr. Pearson felt the City should be snSctly represented by wards or if a percentage should be at large also. Mr. Pearson stated it would depend on how many Council people you have. Mayor Hardin felt there should be Councilmembers at large also. !: Commissioner Goode asked why Mayor Hardin supported having both ward and at large G0uncilmembers. Mayor Hardin stated because people representing smaller wards may vote a certain way. If this would be the way the City would go, the Mayoral seat should be elected at large and a Councilmember elected at large to bring some of that experience to that position. The Mayor's term is two years now and he wasn't sure if it should change if the City was divided into wards or not. He expressed a concern about having too many new people on the Council. Mr. Pearson stated if he got back on the Council, he would not want a bigger Council. He felt the bigger the Council, the more bogged down you get. It takes too long to get something done. He felt that the Mayor's position should be extended to four years. He suggested it takes about two years to become familiar with the City and procedures and then it's time to start campaigning again. Chairperson Steffen asked if there should be term limitations. ~ayor Hardin stated he would support that. Mr. Pearson stated he, too, would support that because with new people on the job, you get new ideas. Mayor Hardin stated trying to determine a better electoral process, ward system, etc. will be a difficult job. He suggested looking at where the City is right now and where it may be i~ I0 years, 30 years and 50 years. Maybe we need to look at phasing this in and have the City's population determine when the first phase should be and again when the second - Phase should happen. Chairperson Steffen commented that the Charter perhaps shouldn't try to go too far into the future. We can "tinker" with it and I0 years down the road, the next Charter can make c_hanges. He also commented that if it remains ail at large, you could have a concentration in one area if a group of people get themselves organized; the entire Council could be elected from that area. The ward system would eliminate the possibility of this happening. We do not have geographical politics now but it is a possibility. Chairperson Steffen thanked Mayor Hardin and Mr. Pearson for coming to meeting and gharing their thoughts on these issues. He asked that Staff give a reminder to the rest of the candidates about the survey and send out the returns with the next Charter agenda. This ease will be placed on the next agenda for more discussion. Charter Commission/January 19, 1995 Page 4 of 8 I I I I I I I I I i ! i I I I I I I I