2F REMOVES VOTER APPROVAL
“While you were sleeping ……Congress gave themselves a raise.” How many times have we read or heard those words? The Edgewater City Council is asking for the power to increase council’s pay, at any time, without voter approval.
Council usually meets once a month for about three hours per meeting. In addition, most spend time reviewing information and meeting with the City Manager. On top of their salaries the City pays for council members to attend the annual CML conferences in cities like Vail and Breckenridge. Do council members deserve higher compensation? Maybe, maybe not, but council should present their reasons, and let the voters decide.
VOTE NO ON 2F!
2G REQUIRES WRITTEN NOTICE OF POOR ATTENDANCE
The City Clerk calls role at each council meeting. All council member’s attendance is a matter of public record, and easily tracked. The Charter states council members must attend 70% of council meetings. Regardless of why one might be absent, if a member doesn’t attend they cannot do what they were elected to do. If a council member can’t meet this standard, ethically they should resign and allow another person to serve in their place. If they do not resign, council can remove them. The only purpose for requiring written notice of poor attendance is to help a council member avoid being removed. If 2G is approved, council will lose the power to, on a case by case basis, determine whether or not they want to provide written notice of a pending declaration of dereliction.
VOTE NO ON 2G
2H FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES AFTER AN ELECTION
Should a vacancy on council occur within 180 days after an election, the outcome of the election determines who fills the vacancy. The next highest vote getter gets the vacant council seat, as if the seat were open before the election. This is a way to seat council with people who actually earned a place on the ballot. To be on the ballot, candidates must get at least 25 signatures from Edgewater voters. These candidates have opened themselves up to public scrutiny, and most spend time talking with citizens and getting to know Edgewater’s needs. If 2H passes the seat could be filled by someone who simply fills out the same application as all other Edgewater boards or commissions. These applicants are not required to obtain any voter support, and have rarely reached out for community input. This 180-day provision is unique to Edgewater and we should keep it.
VOTE NO ON 2H!
2I ELECTION COMMISSION
The provision to maintain an Election Commission needs to go away. For years the City has coordinated its elections with Jefferson County. Very rarely do we hold special elections, but if needed council can still create this commission.
VOTE YES ON 2I
Bonnie McNulty
Former Mayor of Edgewater
303-233-6216
bjmcnulty2@comcast.net
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
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