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4'08 Staff report re: Referendum and ward boundary procedures Mr. Roger Wiley, City Attorney, reported to Council on the steps that would be necessary to implement changes in the size and election of Council. He said it would require a change in the City's charter, which, must be approved by the General Assembly, and any ward boundaries would have to be approved by the General Assembly as well as the UtS. Department of Justice. A referendum could be held on the subject at any election, regular or special. If Council chooses to hold a referendum at the upcoming November gubernatOrial election, it. must make that decision by August 1 to set in motion the various necessary procedures. A referendum would be advisory in nature, both to the Council and to the General Assembly, although the Coumcit could consider itself to be bound by the referendum if it chose, Mr. Wiley suggested the following considerations: (1) whether to change the size of Council, (2) whether to go to award system and, if so, how it would be imple- mented, (3) whether to change.the method~of mayoral election, (4) whether to suggest possible ward boundaries before the referendum, which can be done as the census figures are.now in. Mr. Wiley reminded Council that annexation or consolidation with Albemarle .County~ould make ward elections necessary and mandatory and would most certainly affect any change in the Council's size or election. Mr. Albro suggested that some consideration needs to be given to the way in which terms would be adjusted if a change in size and election took place. Mr. Wiley suggested that before a referendum, there should be a text of a charter change including the method of adjusting terms. Mr. Conover inquired about cost and was told that a special election would cost $60800 and a referendum during a regular election would cost $600. Mayor Buck suggested using the Citizens Committee to Study coUncil Changes (CCSCC) to draft a referendum and possible ward boundaries for theNovember ballot. Mr. Conover suggested that maybe more than~a simple majority should be required for the Council to consider itself bound by the referendum (like 2/3 or 3/4, etc~) since there should be a clear mandate for change from the voters if the change is to take place. Mr. Albro reminded Council that the CCSCC group had not attempted drawing ward boundaries originally and may not be willing .to do so now. He suggested, however, ~th~at possible Ward boundaries be drawn up before the referendum to spark voter interest and give people. an idea of where they-would be ward-wise; perhaps the Electoral Board or City Attorney~would be better equipped to do 'this job. Mayor Buck conceded that the CCSCC group would need staff support for technical and legal reasons, but thought that the job should be done by a citizens group, not City Hall staff. Mr. Wiley ~ai~ that the Department of Justice would be more inclined to favor boundaries that had been drawn up. with the help of citizens.