|
Carolyn curt'i
<br />From: Beets, Neal
<br />Sent: 'Wiednesday, November 19, 2003,121,12 PM
<br />To Curti, Carolyn
<br />Subject: FW.-, Special elections
<br />-- original' Message - - - --
<br />IFrom��., Dr[scoll, Margaret
<br />Seft: Tuesday, November 18', 2003 11:28 AM
<br />To: Beets,, Neal
<br />Subject: FW:1 Special elections
<br />01riginal Message---
<br />From: Brent Engebretson [(mail4;-,
<br />Sent:- Tuesday, Novernber, 18, 2UU3 11: 11 AM
<br />T. city.council@ci..Iro�sevli'lle.,im�n.us
<br />Suibject . Special el'ecti'ons
<br />I am writing in regards to the, questions that was raised in last night's City Council meeting, should there
<br />be a special election held for the vacant seat on the clouncil after Jan 1. when Councilman Klausing
<br />assumes the role as maylor, and if so when should it be?
<br />It is Imy opinion afteir listening to, the debate that a spec-iial election should be held, but the election
<br />should take place in the fa 1, in conjunction with the reigular, even year elections we traditionally have in
<br />September and November.
<br />The purpose of the time of year is three-fold. One, it assures a higher turnout for the election, since this is
<br />also the time we will be electing our representation at the Legislature as well as Congress. This is
<br />t
<br />implortiant that whoever is elected to fill the vacant seat, it will be with a greater representation of the
<br />populace in Roseville. Since this is also the traditional time lof'the year for elections, people would be more
<br />aware of the need to, vote.,
<br />Two, it saves, money for the city. During the primary election debate this was one of the more prominent
<br />reasons given to eliminate the primary. It seems ironic to me that the same council members who voted
<br />to eliminate the prim�alry,, in part to save the city some money,, are now the same ones championing the
<br />expenditure in this situation. I saw accusations last night of members flip-flopping on positions. Is this not
<br />a flipi-flop in itsel�f?
<br />Third, it would provide time for candidates to run a proper campaign and educating voters on their
<br />�poisit,ioins on I im�plor,tan�t city issues. I'm sorry, but period of' 701 days in the dead of winter, when many of
<br />the citizenry out of state is not a great time for a cam�pla�lign, nor, an election.
<br />An ar,gument presented last Inigh.t, which whoever is appointed to temporarily fill the vacated seat would
<br />benefit from incumbency, does not hold much credence to myself. This past election season, I saw two
<br />I
<br />sitting mernbers of the council lose in primaries of theIr respective races. What advantage did incumbency
<br />provilde those mem�blers?
<br />Mayor, K was Irigiht , last night when he said that what this whole exercise is about, rightly or wrongly, is to
<br />prevent our incoming mayor, i'n the event of a 2-2 tie, selecting his own successor. True, this would not
<br />help, with the divisive perceptions of the. council, But I don't think hastily scheduling a special elect-ion
<br />slervels to alleviate that concern either.
<br />wo
<br />
|