08/16/2010 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Regular Council Meeting Minutes 8-16-10 Page 6 have been through a lot. They have served their job and they have done their sworn duty to make the recommendations that they thought were best for the community. Council has to adopt those recommendations. They have to put it on the ballot. They're not endorsing it by doing so. They are doing their sworn duty to put them on the ballot as our Charter requires them to do. No one is really in collusion. No one is trying to do anything contrary to law. To suggest as the prior speaker did that maybe the voters aren't going to understand these amendments properly and make an intelligent decision on these amendments because maybe they won't look into them is really contradictory to what those who are speaking against these amendments are suggesting. To suggest that the voters aren't intelligent enough to make a good decision to adopt this Charter amendment or not is suggesting perhaps they aren't smart enough to make a zoning decision either. So, it's really contradictory when you suggest not letting the voters get these amendments and make a decision is really inappropriate. I think the voters should have the opportunity to make that decision. Ms. Butler asked to speak again just briefly. Council President Buckholtz replied, briefly please because I normally state it's 3-5 minutes and I've allowed you 10 and Brenda 10. Ms. Butler stated, Thank you, Mr. Diemert for clarification about the number of people who were present and I'm sorry. I don't like to spread rumors and I really appreciate the clarification and I also am aware that you are legally bound to pass to put these on the ballot and I don't argue with that. I just was under the impression that the ballot would read, endorsed by the Council. Mrs. Cinco replied, no. Mr. Diemert stated, if you read the Ordinances, it clearly has the question there. It says nothing about Council endorsing it. The question is right there. Ms. Butler replied, okay, thank you very much. Council President Buckholtz asked, would anybody else like to address Council? Please step up and state your name and address for the record. Donna Kless Thornapple Drive I do understand these things have been gone through a legal process and they do have to be on the ballot and I do understand it isn't going to be on the ballot that Council endorses this but I think we want our Councilpeople to understand very much how we feel about it and they do have an opportunity. It's not illegal in any way say, I thuik that's a good thing, you should vote for or, I don't think that's a good thing that you should vote for. I would like to see our Councilpeople stand up and make some decision on this. It would be very helpful to us who vote for our Councilpeople.