Minutes - Charter Commission - 07/19/2001

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Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Vogt, Commissioners Milless, Childs, Bertzyk, Deemer, Ebel, Henke, LaMere, and Swanson. Voting No: None. Absent: None. Chairperson Vogt stated that the Commission had two options to consider for the remaining changes to Section 2.3. Those options were to approve lines 11 through 20 or the alternate which were lines 26 through 33. City Attorney Goodrich noted that line 13 would assign the 2000 elected Councilmembers to the ward in which they live in. Line 27 would designate the 2000 elected Councilmembers at-large. Commissioner Childs presented the Commission with a handout explaining the two scenarios. He explained that if all four wards were placed on the ballot in 2002 it would make the transition to a ward system easier. If they start with only two wards in 2002 so that the 2000 elected Councilmembers could remain at large than there would be two wards that would not be represented until 2004. If all four wards are put into place immediately than the two Councilmembers that would be up for reelection in 2002 would not be permitted to run at large. Keith Kiefer, Ramsey, stated that he was in favor of the 2.3.3 Transition schedule 11 through 20 because he felt that it presented the fairest transition to the candidates. Commissioner Deemer stated that with either transition schedule, when there is an off year election, certain residents would only be permitted to vote for two candidates and in some instances would only be able to vote for one candidate. He recommended that in 2002, all candidates be elected for two years and then in 2004, all of the terms would become four years so that everyone would be allowed to vote for four candidates. City Administrator Norman replied that the Commission had received an opinion from the City Attorney advising that was unconstitutional. City Attorney Goodrich noted that what was suggested by Commissioner Deemer would be violating State Statute. Motion by Commissioner Milless, seconded by Commissioner Bertzyk, to adopt 2.3.3 Transition Schedule language lines 11 through 20. Further discussion: Commissioner Henke stated that she has not seen anything that convinces her to be in favor of wards. She expressed that the ward system in her opinion limits the citizen's votes. She stated that she firmly believes that going to a ward system limits what the citizens of Ramsey wanted, which is the power to overturn the Council. She stated that she did not understand why the Commission was considering wards when it limits the citizen's power. Commissioner Deemer replied that the Commission's action would be placing the question before the voters to make the decision whether or not the City should go to a ward system. Commissioner LaMere stated that she would be in favor of the alternate section lines 26 through 33 because if the ward system is approved by the voters than everyone has the option to elect their own representative for their ward. City Administrator Norman noted that there would not be an assigning of wards, but candidates would only be able to run for a ward if they lived within in the ward boundaries. Commissioner LaMere stated that the 2000 elected Councilmembers Charter Commission/July 19, 2001 Page 3 of 5