1981-11-16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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