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approximately 60 percent have gone to a ward system. The Charter Commission has also <br />discussed the creation of a primary system in the past. A primary election discussion took place <br />in 1999, and it was the consensus of the Charter Commission to continue studying the possibility <br />of instituting a primary election for the City of Ramsey. Also discussed during 1999, was the <br />number of the Council seats for a City Council. It was also the consensus of the Charter <br />Commission to continue discussion of the number of elected representatives to the Ramsey City <br />Council. <br /> <br />Councihnember Hendriksen stated that when there was the discussion about changing the <br />Mayor's term to four years he was opposed because he did not like the idea of having three <br />members elected at the same time and serving for four years. For that reason, he feels there is a <br />need to go to a seven member Council to rectify past mistakes..He suggested allowing plenty of <br />time to make the changes otherwise there may be a lot of questions as to why and when the <br />changes were made. In regard to the Ward system, he felt that it should be the last thing the City <br />would change. He explained that at the time he was opposing the extension of the Mayor's term, <br />he was in favor of the Ward system, but after serving on the Council he questions if the Ward <br />system is appropriate. <br /> <br />Chairperson Kieffer stated that he favors a Ward system where there are Councilmembers from <br />wards and at large so that there are no special interests. <br /> <br />Councilmember Hendriksen replied that would work as long as the at large Councilmembers <br />were in the majority. <br /> <br />Councihnember Connolly stated that she thinks it is imperative that the majority of the Council <br />be elected every two years. <br /> <br />Commissioner Henke stated that she would be in favor of a seven member Council rather than a <br />Ward system because she feels that the Ward system makes a Councilmember accountable to. <br />only a portion of the City rather than the City as a whole. <br /> <br />Commissioner Childs stated that a seven member Council is not out of line with surrounding <br />communities and would be in favor of that. <br /> <br />Councilmember Connolly stated that she would also like to see a seven member Council. <br /> <br />Councilmember Hendriksen stated that he thinks they need to complete these changes in steps. <br />He suggested instituting the most benign of these changes and then make some progression from <br />there. Adding two more members to the Council does not have an impact on how people are <br />elected and if a Ward system were to implemented with a five member Council then the entire <br />Ward system would have to be redone if they were to change to a seven member Council. <br /> <br />Councilmember Anderson stated that she would like to take care of the Primary Election first so <br />that the final candidates are down to a manageable number. <br /> <br />Councilmember Zimmerman replied that a Primary Election discourages some people from filing <br />and in a small city like Ramsey, they want as many people to sign up as possible. <br /> <br />City Council/August 22, 2000 <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br /> <br />