Minutes - Council - 09/13/2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Hendriksen, Connolly, Anderson, and Zimmerman. Voting No: None. Motion by Councilmember Hendriksen, seconded by Councilmember Connolly, to include an advisory question on the 2000 ballot stating "Shall the term of the Counci!member be staggered or arranged to guarantee that the majority of the Council would be up for election every two years." Further discussion: Charter Chair Kiefer stated that, as the system currently exists, there would be three members up for election on every presidential election. He felt that the advisory question was somewhat confusing and misleading. Councilmember Hendriksen replied that this is the first year that the City will elect three individuals that will serve for four years which will comprise the majority of the Council for that four years. Citizens have always had the opportunity to change the disposition of the Council until now and he is attempting to resolve the problem by staggering the term of the Councilmembers because he feels that there is merit to keeping the Mayor's term a four-year term. He noted that the question would simply be an advisory question. Charter Chair Kiefer inquired if the change would change the Mayor's term back to a two-year term. Councilmember Hendriksen replied no, explaining that he would be proposing to change the terms of the Councilmembers so that the majority of the Council would be up for election every two years. He stated that the City Attorney could put together the appropriate wording for the advisory question. Councilmember Zimmerman requested that the Charter Commission in the future have any items that are to be on an election ballot to the Council well in advance to the ballot deadline rather than the night before. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Hendriksen, Connolly, Anderson, and Zimmerman. Voting No: None. Councilmember Hendriksen suggested using Cable TV as a vehicle to explain the issues to the citizens of Ramsey. Mayor Gamec suggested having the City Attorney give an unbiased review of the issues on Cable TV. City Attorney Goodrich noted that as individual Councilmembers they could state their position as long as they don't state that it is the position of the entire Council. Councilmember Hendriksen replied that there should be someone present to discuss the issues and explain both sides. Charter Chair Kiefer noted that the Charter Commission had discussed the issue in some detail and they opted not to use Cable TV to debate the issue, but rather conduct a Q & A meeting. City Council/September 13, 2000 Page 6 of 19