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Case #2: Re-Visit Mayors Term Question <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen reported that he had also asked that this case be placed on the agenda. He did <br />not expect that when the Charter Commission brought to City Council the ordinance relating to <br />lengthening the Mayors term that it would be controversial. However, they felt it was and the next <br />issue is if City Council will not pass this, what happens. City Council discussed putting this issue <br />on the November ballot; however, they were told by Attorney Goodrich that this could be placed <br />on the ballot as an advisory question only. Mr. Steffen assumed the issue would be dropped if k <br />was not adopted as an ordinance. Since it wasn't, he felt it should be on the ballot as an issue for <br />the residents to vote on - not as an advisory. <br /> <br />Commissioner Anderson felt that this decision belongs to the people. To amend the Charter by <br />ordinance is for the housekeeping kinds of things but substantive things should go to the people to <br />vote on. These are philosophical kinds of things - balance of power kinds of things. <br /> <br />Commissioner Donovan felt, too, that the voted results of that question should actually count. He <br />did not seed this as an advisory vote. Let the people speak. He added that he did not see why <br />Council thought this was sinister. We talked with people - we felt this was the best thing for the <br />City. He added that he has an entirely different philosophy than Mr. Terry Hendriksen. He <br />(Donovan) did not look upon our elected officials as running rough shot. He felt the City Council <br />is trying to do a decent job of running the community. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen agreed with Commissioner Donovan's philosophy. We have a whole attitude <br />of people who feel it would be better if the government did not do things. He expressed that he <br />was quite stunned by the idea that this issue was controversial, but since it appears to be, it should <br />be brought before the people to vote on it. Mr. Hendriksen has said that a two-year mayor's term <br />is a way to ensure a change of power on the City Council every two years. That has no validity at <br />all. If you have five members on the City Council and four believe in one point of view - three <br />people up for election does not mean they have the ability to change that mix of power. This is <br />saying I have a better chance out of three than two. If that's what you want, maybe you want to <br />elect the entire City Council every two years. He did not feel changing the mayor every two years <br />changes the power. He questioned if the Charter Commission wanted to ask the City Council to <br />back away from the advisory election. He inquired if that was valid. He was concerned we do not <br />have an advisory question and a real question at the same time. Would the City Council pull off <br />the advisory election if we proceed with the other. We do not need to do this in this election. Is <br />there any good reason to wait? <br /> <br />Commissioner Kiefer felt this would be a good election because of the larger turnout for <br />presidential elections. <br /> <br />Commissioner Marn agreed that it is much better to run it as a real vote. <br /> <br />Commissioner Donovan felt it needed to be done by a majority and that it should be put on the <br />November ballot. <br /> <br />Commissioner Kiefer asked if the question could be submitted as such that it be on the ballot <br />provided the advisory question is removed. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen suggested not wanting to do that. <br /> <br />Motion by Commissioner Donovan and seconded by Commissioner Kiefer to submit the proposal <br />to lengthen the tem~ of the Mayor commencing with election year 2000 for the general ballot on <br />November 1996. <br /> <br />Charter Commission/July 18, 1996 <br /> Page 3 of 4 <br /> <br /> <br />