MONROE - An ordinance to change the number of city aldermen to nine, instead of the current 10, was introduced Tuesday at the Common Council meeting, but the measure met some resistance.
"This issue has not been fully vetted," said Thurston Hanson, alderman for Ward 7. "There's still some confusion on what is best."
The proposed ordinance reduces the number of council members to correspond with the reduced number of wards in the city. The city has reduced the number of wards to match the county's supervisory redistricting map, created following the 2010 census.
A public hearing on the proposed ordinance was set for Aug. 16, when the ordinance can be passed by a majority of council members.
Hanson said he would like at least one more full council meeting before the public hearing to discuss elections by ward, versus at-large elections.
"When you explain the benefits (of at-large elections) to citizens, they overwhelmingly support it," he said.
Hanson said, without more meetings to discuss the options, he wanted council members to vote against the ward elections.
Jan Lefevre, of Ward 4, objected to Hanson's assertion and stated that they have had enough meetings with the public.
"Personally, I think it is insulting to tell people we have to do the right thing, where what is right (is) according to Thurston," she said.
Michael Boyce questioned whether the ordinance should have had a vote before being introduced.
He and Hanson agreed that advisory votes on various election options taken July 12 at a special Common Council meeting were not binding.
Six aldermen had favored city elections by ward in an advisory vote July 12; three favored electing 10 aldermen at-large, and one favored a system of nine wards plus one alderman at-large, in three separate votes.
Before voting that day, Boyce verified that the votes were not binding on the Council.
The Council was prepared earlier this month to change the city election of council members to 10 at-large, allowing voters city-wide to select up to five candidates on a ballot each year for the open seats on the council.
But that move was abandoned after about six citizens spoke against the at-large system at city meetings over the past month.
"This issue has not been fully vetted," said Thurston Hanson, alderman for Ward 7. "There's still some confusion on what is best."
The proposed ordinance reduces the number of council members to correspond with the reduced number of wards in the city. The city has reduced the number of wards to match the county's supervisory redistricting map, created following the 2010 census.
A public hearing on the proposed ordinance was set for Aug. 16, when the ordinance can be passed by a majority of council members.
Hanson said he would like at least one more full council meeting before the public hearing to discuss elections by ward, versus at-large elections.
"When you explain the benefits (of at-large elections) to citizens, they overwhelmingly support it," he said.
Hanson said, without more meetings to discuss the options, he wanted council members to vote against the ward elections.
Jan Lefevre, of Ward 4, objected to Hanson's assertion and stated that they have had enough meetings with the public.
"Personally, I think it is insulting to tell people we have to do the right thing, where what is right (is) according to Thurston," she said.
Michael Boyce questioned whether the ordinance should have had a vote before being introduced.
He and Hanson agreed that advisory votes on various election options taken July 12 at a special Common Council meeting were not binding.
Six aldermen had favored city elections by ward in an advisory vote July 12; three favored electing 10 aldermen at-large, and one favored a system of nine wards plus one alderman at-large, in three separate votes.
Before voting that day, Boyce verified that the votes were not binding on the Council.
The Council was prepared earlier this month to change the city election of council members to 10 at-large, allowing voters city-wide to select up to five candidates on a ballot each year for the open seats on the council.
But that move was abandoned after about six citizens spoke against the at-large system at city meetings over the past month.