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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL MINUTES 1978-02-08 SPECIAL 16858 MINUTES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTIETH SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LIVONIA Pursuant to the provisions of Section 8, Chapter IV of the City Charter, the above meeting was held February 8, 1978, at the City Hall, 33001 Five Mile Road, Livonia, Michigan, and was called to order by the President at approximately 7:35 P. M. . Roll was called with the following result: Present--Robert E. McCann, Robert F. Nash, Jerry H. Brown, Jerry Raymond, Robert D. Bennett and Robert R. Bishop. Absent--Peter A. Ventura. Elected and appointed officials present: Edward H. McNamara, Mayor, Addison W. Bacon, City Clerk, Carl J. Wagenschutz, City Treasurer, Harry C.Tatigian, City Attorney, Jack Dodge, Director of Finance, John T. Dufour, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, Stanley Bien, Chief Librarian, H. G. Shane, Planning Department and Eldon Raymond of the Zoning Board of Appeals. By Councilman Bennett, seconded by Councilman Raymond, it was #123-78 RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Livonia, by a three- fifths (3/5) vote of the members of said Council, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 21 of 1909 PA 279, as amended, does hereby propose that the Livonia City Charter be amended by changing Section 2 of Chapter V, which changed section shall read as follows: Chapter V Section 2. Election, Appointment? Terms. The Mayor, City Treasurer and City Clerk shall be selected by election from the City at large. Said elective officers shall be elected at each regular City election. The term of office of the Mayor shall be for four (4) years, and the term of office of the City Clerk and City Treasurer shall be for two (2) years com- mencing on the first Monday following the City election at which they are elected and ending when their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified. All other appointive officers and members of boards and commissions, unless otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be appointed by the Mayor. Each appointive officer or member of any board or commission, unless otherwise provided in this Charter, shall hold office at the pleasure of the official or body appointing him. RESOLVED FURTHER, that the provisions of the existing section of the Charter of the City of Livonia which is altered, abrogated or affected by this proposal, if adopted, now reads as follows. 16859 Chapter V, Section 2.Election, Appointment, Terms. The Mayor, City Treasurer, City Clerk and two (2) Constables shall be selected by election from the City at large. Said elective officers shall be elected at each regular City election.The term of office of all of the elective administrative officers shall be for two (2) years commencing on the first Monday follow- ing the City election at which they are elected and ending when their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified, except that the first officers elected under this Charter shall hold their offices for a term commencing on the first Monday following the election to adopt or reject this Charter and ending when their respective successors have been duly elected and quali- fied at the regular City election held in 1952. All other appointive officers and members of boards and commissions, unless otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Council may by ordinance provide for the appointment of not more than two (2) additional Constables. Each appointive officer or member of any board or commission, unless otherwise provided in this Charter, shall hold office at the pleasure of the official or body appointing him. RESOLVED FURTHER, that the purpose of the proposed amendment shall be designated on the ballot as follows: City Charter amendment which would provide that the term of office for Mayor shall be for four (4) years. RESOLVED FURTHER, that the City Clerk shall forthwith transmit a copy of the proposed amendment to the Governor of the State of Michigan for his approval and transmit a copy of the foregoing statement of purpose of such proposed amendment to the Attorney General of the State of Michigan for his approval as provided by law. RESOLVED FURTHER, that the proposed Charter amendment shall be and the same is ordered to be submittdd to the qualified electors of the City at the Special City election to be held on Tuesday April 11 19 78 , and the City Clerk is hereby direct- ed to give notice of election and notice of registration therefor in the manner prescribed by law and to do all things and to provide all supplies necessary to submit such proposed Charter amendment to the vote of the electors as required by law. RESOLVED FURTHER, that the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the electors in the following form, to wit: Are you in favor of amending the City Charter so as to provide that the term of office for Mayor shall be for four (4) years? YES / / NO / / 16860 RESOLVED FURTHER, that the proposed amendment shall be published in L full, together with the existing Charter provision altered, abrogated or affected thereby, at least once in the official newspaper of the City of Livonia at least ten days prior to said Special City election to be held on Tuesday , April 11 1978 RESOLVED FURTHER, that the City Clerk be and is hereby ordered and directed to post within the machine booths and in the polling places in which said election is conducted a verbatim statement of said proposed amendment and to post and publish such other notices or copies of the proposed amend- ment pertaining to the submission of said amendment in said election as may be required by law and to do and perform all necessary acts in connection with such election as may be required by law. By Councilman Bishop, seconded by Councilman Brown, it was RESOLVED, that the foregoing proposed Charter amendment is hereby tabled until such time as all members of the Council are present. A roll call vote was taken on the motion to table, with the folbowing result: AYES: Brown and Bishop. NAYS: Bennett, Nash, Raymond and McCann. LThe President declared the motion to table DENIED. A roll call vote was taken on the original resolution with the following result AYES: Bennett, Nash, Bishop, Raymond and McCann. NAYS: *Brown. The President declared the resolution adopted. *Councilman Brown made the following statement: Charter amendments that 4rastically affect the government structure that has caused Livonia to have a repu- tation for good government must not be approached casually. As councilmen responsi- ble for maintaining good government and responsible to the people who elected us, we have the additional responsibility to make absolutely sure our citizens understand all the ramifications of Charter amendments we allow on a ballot. A more serious question relates to our responsibility to see that Charter amendments that will affect Livonia for years to come be decided by a substantial number of our Livonia citizens. LGiven enough time and accurate information, our citizens will always make an intelli- gent decision that I, as one councilman, will respect and support. 16861 I believe it is a mistake to put Charter amendments of this importance on an election Lthat we all know will not really represent a large, informed cross section of our city. I believe that the April 11, 1978 Detroit Edison franchise question will be a very small turnout and will not really reflect an informed vote on the proposed political terms of office. I also believe it is unfair to Detroit Edison to endanger their franchise question that they in fact pay for. We can just as easily put the political terms of office question on an election already scheduled for November 7 when a large percentage of Livonians will come out to vote for their choice for Governor. By delaying the proposal until we know a representative number of citizens will cast a ballot, we will in fact assure that the Charter amendments will be decided by our whole city and avoid the accusation that special interest groups will control the expected small turnout on the Detroit Edison franchise question April 11. LThe largest single factor that has created Livonia's proud reputation of really reflecting the wants and desires of the people we represent is the fact that our citizens give our city government a performance review every two years with an election. The men that originally wrote our Charter realized that a balance of power and a check and balance system are most important to keep politicians in either the administration or legislature from gaining too much power either at election time or during the day to day business of running the city. Our Charter has served us well in providing that balance of power. Why should we change a system that has caused Livonia to build, prosper and stand as an example to other cities to follow? Why should we tamper with the strong mayor-strong council form of government that has served us so well? I plan to vote "no" on this question this evening and would urge my colleagues to give serious consideration to my comments. By Councilman Raymond, seconded by Councilman Nash, and unanimously Ladopted, it was 16862 #124-78 RESOLVED, that having considered a letter dated February 1, 1978 from the City Clerk, who having been notified by the Livonia Public Schools that the Eisenhower Elementary School will no longer be available as an Election Voting Precinct, the Council does hereby designate the Washington Elementary School, 9449 Hix Road as the Official Polling Place for all Registered Electors within the boundaries of Precinct 31-A. On motion of Councilman Bennett, seconded by Councilman Nash, and unanimously adopted, this 170th Special Meeting was duly adjourned at 8:20 P. M. , February 8, 1978. ADDISON ACON, CITY CLERK.