09-11-2000 CHCMHUTCHINSON CHARTER, COMMISSION
i EEa Et 1; - SEPTEMBER i 1, 2000
Present: Steve Auger. Carl Brazk-e, Michael Cannon, 171-iarlas Carlson, Don (Silas. Ronald
'McGravv, (excused at 417 ln,rnn,ly Rouer Peterson,,, 1,.,inda RCIIILICUI, and Virigil Voigt
Absenv,' Walter Ctay, Philip (iraves, arallearn Peterson
Also Present'. City Attonicy Mare A. Sebora anal "Recorder Nlarilyn J, Sw'arlson
The meefingvans tall al to order at. 41,00 prn, anal the entire time, was devoted to review of the
five proposed amendnients to the (.,ii y Charter, Eacli Curninission Tnember was asked to express
his/her vote on each itern and the reason for the decision,
CHAPTER 2. SECTION 2,0 1. - FORM OF GOVEPUNMENT
C[I.M"I'ER, Z, SECTION Z.04 — ELECTIVE OFF4CVERS; QUALIF11CATIONS; TERMS-.
WARD RLT RESENXTI�,IVTION
Rernucal stated Hutchinson is still, ,s -mil etiough R,,rr representatives L('i know abf.')Ut the City
without the nced foi- wards orsectioiks that angh(b in compictition.
Cannoin questioned ff wards would pri iht� qWkfiit�� (If 1,)COple that WC prCsently have, He
would be opposed to wards and thought they would reduce COMITILLnitV
par0cipanion.
Glas stated lie looked at the quesfion from the viewpoint ot'a businQsspersorl. lie Vviould prefer to
lie repre-scinted by the entire City 0.)unc1l,
Voigt thought the ward systern fin- elections was deterinined by the size of the community, lie
stated some people have a false impression i the size of 'Hutchinson because of its Srr0z'1Q,
ectmornic structure and activities,, The. residents know each, other and are close knit. In larger
cities individuals choose certain areas to live in becatise of the nationalities located there. lie (fid
not believe that 1-lutchinson iiii ready, for the)v rd system.
Bretzkc had no argurnent, with the petitiorit artiendinent and thought Hurchinsnn it g, enough
for wards diatwould pi ovide representation.
Petersen did not think the ward system, %vas, necessal), and viewed it as pilftino'n , one part (if town
against another. He poitited OUi that qualified piet) ple could ruln lbr City Councit under the
present system,
Cannon favored the current majority ruie and rear v no reason to change the structure. fie Stated
that -a ward systern could, produce a, low vote in one area, compared to the other wards, CC11111011
also noted that it was already d"ift rcult. to obtain volunteez'&
AN4KNDNNIY,NT 412,
CHAPTER2, SECTION2.09 — VXCAN('JES INTHE (,',0UNC1J.,
McGraw had no, problenivJth ffie present system and the wav the elections were he)(1 He
thought the City %vouid lie making a nlistake to putt our sys1ern,,,'lTter other cities.
Remucal suggrested that one petiticni at a tinie be presented over several years, She expTessed
c,onocrrl about Ilic amount oftiniv it will take voters to read and votc,on the issues.
Glas thc)ught the issues shouidbe reviewed, and voted on at as k)(er Ll'ITIC
Cannon inquired, what it Cost ffie (.'ij. 1"y r t 0 hold c i special election to vote on a City Council
vacancy,
Voigt conimented it would require, as Jt)tr cIf eff"0171 aiid, cost to hold a special election, but an
individual could be clected and distlitalified fro' ma office, Under flii� present t': hart the Mayor
could appoint s(:)nicone else to fill the vacanci,,,, Vrt,_a i t' could se;� the pownti,'d nQc-d of the
aimmdnaen( to prev"ent the City Council frOM [M-indpickl.ng replacenients. I (" thC rMlaining length
of Wan was ionger than 365 day's, it ntight not be true representation,
Carlsorm ;�uaed that since eleoions a,verc held eveTy two years, Iaa, could riot see nluch gaill in
holding aIr SpeCjad clection.
Bretzke commented that lie had iio argum-,'nt witi) the issue since the sitimtioii doesn"t happen
VC17� often-
Petersen asked if a Council meniber resigned in, a %vard, woijid i')nly that ward Qlect tile
replacement.
Subtira confirmed that the special clection 1,vould beli,eld onlY for that particular war(,L
ALI.gCr said he had no major problem with the arnendn'�ient," but, lie thought the Verbiage Could be
alade clearer.
A,A1[ENQNIENT93
CHAPTER 4, SE(-"'f ION 4.01 --REG'U LAR, NIU-NICIPAL El,,ECTIONS
,,Vllger didn't see any need f'or the proposed amendment and that ught the present word'ing was
acceptable. He thought people would vote regardless of'wvheffier it was an even nurribered year
or odd numbered year,
Petersen pointed �,,,)ut that the School District and CIA),, hold am joint, are coon., He, stated it could
take the voters as long brae to vote with all the amendments on the ballot.
Bretzke coricurred Nvith the previous statements,
M
Voiget said he could go either way on this anlcndnient, ,Mthor gh. more people would vote in the
mational elections, he thatt,ght residents wou[d turn out 'to vote on lo,�,al is'-sues, He was led to
t,)elie,ve that the general public didn't care %Owther the election v,,as held in an even or odd year.
Glas stated he pref arcd the odd year e[ection at, this Lime.
Caution commented lie had given, this item sotnethoug
Olt, it Was his opirilon that tile anlendrilent
%votj Id bring out more uninf'ornled, voters or those who didn't care about the i=al is,.sues ,
Rernucal concurred with Carinon's cornirtents.
ANLENDNIEN'T' �M
CRAP"TER4,SECTION 4.02— SPECIAL ELEcrIONS (M AIL BALLOT)
Reinucal did not see any need for gain gto amaii ba,llot,
dift',rence in the School District election, except to create, extra work that ,vas riot necessary,
Cannon stated he had no problem, With the rilail badlbt, He wondered ill it would bring out more
voters who were not edu.cauad on the issue.
Carlson stated that in a regular c'Jection the person in the booth is alolle. With a mail ballot,
others may influence the voter,
Glas stated the inail ballot was a tnore, expensive process. As lotto as the City had the abih(y to
use it when desired, he would leavc it that way. Gla� didn't think there: was a Twed, to inake it
mandatory,
Voigi, concurred with Glas. He conlinentud there may be iristances for a mail ballot, but, it didn"t
need to be mandatorv. 1-le evas� ;lot comf6rtabiL with, it in all situations and didn't think it
allowed the person to express his own opinion. Voilgt questioned which vy'as easiel to Put
together.
Bretz e, stated he liked. to go to the polling place and express his opilliollw
Petersen ci�.,)rnrnented on the recern school election by mail, ballot. He noted it required extensive
communication to get the people to -vote. H favorea the voting booth.
Auger asked what a vas considered as special election. He noted that the City ("harter already
addressed this issue,
ANIENDNIENT,,5
CHAPTER 5, SECTfON 5.,02 — PETITIONS
Auger stated that if it malces, it rnore, difficult, [here is no reason for tile, amendment, The, present
system works so there is 110 need to change it.
I
Carlson stated the number woutd be Increased. if' it were as regular clection. N-lore registered
voters wouid bc requiTcd, wid III ),vould make it more difflictilt to obtain the, required number of
signatures,
Petersen comniented (in. the number ail voters required arid. stated there weren't that many
peLiticins rcceived by the City,
Bretzk,e didnt think there was a tieed tbr a changc
V(jigt liked the Cact that the amendmerit would mcike it TTION difficult to obtain as cerl airy iiuniber
of signatures on a petition.
g
G1, Ls stated he could go either way.
Camion didn't see any difference in the mro �,,,cxsions.
Remucal xas in t`avor of the aniendnienr.
Diwussion fbtlowed con the procedure to be used in putting the petition, before the City Council
arid on the ballot-
The motion wis made, seconded artd, carried to postpotic. approval of the August 28, 2000
nunutes LiMil the next n�iectirig,
rhe next mecting date was set fior Monday, September 1 8, 2000 at 4:00 jmn- in the City Cenwy,
`rhe meeting aqjaumcd at 4-55 p.m.
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