Laserfiche WebLink
Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, Apri128, 2008 <br />Page 6 <br />further opining that the costs of a special election and its benefits far outweighed a <br />political appointment through January. <br />Ihlan moved, consideration of a special election, based on revised scheduling in- <br />formation provided by staff in their report dated Apri128, 2008. <br />Councilmember Ihlan provided her rationale for supporting a special election: to <br />provide for a democratic process in line with the request of, and in honor and re- <br />spect for, the late Councilmember Kough; opining that it was the right thing to do. <br />Councilmember Ihlan referenced a recent article in the Roseville Review, taking <br />issue with the opinions and responses expressed by several Councilmembers and <br />Mayor Klausing, apparently ruling out a special election prior to tonight's discus- <br />sion, opining that their comments were political and divisive. <br />The Mayor declared the motion failed due to lack of a second. <br />Mayor Klausing opined that responses and comments in the media were for the <br />purpose of letting the public know the process and how the City Council as a <br />whole was analyzing the issues. <br />Councilmember Ihlan opined that comments to the media were not indicative of <br />democracy happening with respect to this appointment. <br />Councilmember Pust reiterated her statement to the media, opining that she didn't <br />think the City Council should appoint someone who intended to run for election; <br />noted the cost for a special election as provided by staff was estimated to be <br />$20,000 to seat someone in mid-September as opposed to November; and spoke <br />in support of people running for election. However, Councilmember Pust noted <br />that the timing of this vacancy didn't allow a special election to happen at this <br />time; and spoke in support of Councilmember Roe's suggestion for an amend- <br />ment to ordinance for future reference, opining that the current ordinance is con- <br />voluted and only spoke to situations if there was a vacancy due to election to a <br />higher office. <br />Councilmember Roe spoke to the cost of elections, noting that since the City had <br />changed to even year elections, there was a cost savings every other year; thus he <br />opined that he was not troubled by the cost of a special election. Councilmember <br />Roe referenced a recent special election held in Little Canada, where they made a <br />two-year appointment, and was not in agreement with such along-term appoint- <br />ment without having someone democratically elected by the populace, and spoke <br />in support of amending City ordinance to avoid such a situation in Roseville. <br />Councilmember Roe further opined that it didn't make sense to have a special <br />election occurring at the same time as a regular election, since it created confusion <br />and additional issues. Councilmember Roe opined that it seemed reasonable to <br />have an appointment for a reasonably short period of time, from May 19 through <br />the November election; noting that the appointment process, from interviews of <br />