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CITIZENS' PARTY, STATED THAT THE CITIZENS' PARTY HAS GONE ON RECORD <br /> <br /> AS SUPPORTING THE CHANGE TO THE MIXED WARD/AT LARGE PLAN FOR ELECTING <br /> HISTORICALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED SEGMENTS OF CHARLOTTESVILLE. HE <br /> FURTHER QUESTIONED WHY THE REFERENDUM AND DONAL DAY WERE NOT LISTED <br /> <br /> IN A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE ON THE BALLOT. <br /> <br /> MS. MARY SAUNDERS OF 1210 HOLMES AVENUE, EXPRESSED DISBELIEF <br />THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD CALL FOR ANOTHER REFERENDUM ON THE MIXED <br />WARD/AT'LARGE PLAN OF ELECTING CITY COUNCIL. <br /> <br /> MR. WILLIAM S. JOHNSON OF 217 OLD LYNCHBURG ROAD, EXPRESSED <br /> <br />HIS CONCERNS REGARDING THE PENDING COUNCIL DECISION TO REQUEST <br />ANOTHER REFERENDUM. MR. JOHNSON WAS SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED WITH <br />MR. BUCK'S PERSONAL STAND AGAI'NST THE REFERENDUM. MR. JOHNSON <br />CONTINUED TO EXPRESS HIS CONCERNS REGARDING THE REFERENDUM. MR. <br />BUCK NOTED THAT MR. JOHNSON HAD EXCEEDED THE ALLOCATED TIME FOR <br />PUBLIC COMMENT AND WOULD ALLOW HIM ANOTHER MINUTE TO CONCLUDE, <br /> <br />ALSO WITH WARNING OF REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING SHOULD HE CONTINUE TO <br />SHOW DISREGARD. AFTER IGNORING THE WARNING, MR. JOHNSON CONTINUED <br />HIS REMARKS AND WAS ESCORTED BY A POLICE OFFICER FROM THE COUNCIL <br />CHAMBER. <br /> <br /> MS. VIRGINIA CARRINGTON OF THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF <br /> <br />THE N.A.A.C.P., NOTED THAT SHE DID NOT SEE THE REFERENDUM ON THE <br />DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S SAMPLE BALLOT. <br /> <br /> MS. THERESA SMITH OF 1401 FOREST RIDGE ROAD, EXPRESSED HER <br />OPPOSITION TO HOLDING A SECOND REFERENDUM ON THE MIXED WARD/AT <br />LARGE SYSTEM. MS. SMITH QUESTIONED WHY MR. BUCK MADE A REMARK <br /> <br />IN THE PAPER THAT EVEN THOUGH THE REFERNDUM WAS ADVISORY, HE FELT <br />THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD FEEL BOUND BY lT. <br /> <br /> MS. GALE COMRAS OF 1623B MERIDIAN STREET, COMMENTED THAT THE <br />MIXED WARD/AT LARGE SYSTEM OF ELECTING CITY COUNCIL IS THE WRONG <br />APPROACH TO TAKE TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION. MS. COMRAS EXPRESSED <br />HER OPINION THAT ANY CITIZEN OF BELMONT OR THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT <br />MAKES THE SAME ELECTION EFFORTS AS THE PRESENT COUNCILORS, CAN GET <br />ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL. MS. COMRAS CONCLUDED HER REMARKS BY STATING <br />SHE DOES NOT WANT THE BELMONT OR BLACK COMMUNITY TO BE CONSIDERED <br />SECOND CLASS CITIZENS THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO HAVE REPRE- <br />SENTATION. <br /> <br /> FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC DISCUSSIONs MR. CONOVER MOTIONED THAT A <br />SECOND REFERENDUM BE HELD SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE MAY 4TH COUNCIL- <br />MANIC ELECTIONS, WHICH WAS SECONDED BY MS. GLEASON. MR. CONOVER <br />THEN ELABORATED ON THE MAJOR REASONS HE FELT ANOTHER REFERENDUM <br />WAS REQUIRED, ~NCLUDING THE LOW NUMBER OF VOTERS ON THE ISSUE AND <br /> <br />THE CLOSENESS OF THE VOTE. IN RELATION TO THE CLOSENESS OF THE VOTEs <br />HE EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH A TWO-THIRDS RESPONSE <br />REQUIREMENT FOR APPROVING THE REFERENDUM. <br /> <br /> MS. GLEASON COMMENTED THAT A CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM OF ELECTING <br />COUNCIL IS A VERT MAdOR DECISION, SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES <br /> <br />OR ALLEGATIONS OF BAD GOVERNMENT AND/OR LACK OF DIVERSE REPRESENTATION <br /> <br /> <br />