Minutes 09/13/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J7 SEPTEMBER 13, 1983 TUESDAY - it is conceivable that a pure "Ward" system might prevent a highly- qualified Black citizen from ever being elected to Council, simply because he does't reside in the heart of the West End section of the City. Outsiders, in the past, have enjoyed pointing out the fact that four members of the present five-member Council live in the same precinct. To this I would remind you, attributes that make up a qualified Councilman are not confined to precinct boundary lines. Too, the present situation could change with any given election. Mean- while, I will subscribe to one statement by an "outsider" recently reported in the newspaper: "We are urged to concentrate on three C's-- competence, cooperation, and concern." My personal position is -- I am opposed to a pure "Ward" system, as I understand it; however, I would be willing to consider a compromise (proposal). With these thoughts in mind, I would like to ask Council to consider appointing a committee, whose membership would be representative of all interests in the City, to meet and confer and study Mr. Pritchett's (i.e., the Voters' League's) proposal as well as other forms of the election process. Upon completion of their assignment, the committee would report its findings and recommendations to Council. Citizens present, in addition to Mr. Pritchett, who expressed support of the Voters' League request as well as commented on certain other aspects of the "Ward" system vs. the "At-Large" system, were: 1. Mr. Robert S. Martin, 104 Massey Street; 2. Mr. Haywood L. Jones, Jr., 808 Smith Road; 3. Mr. Robert S. Johnson, 1161 Yorkshire Road; 4. Mr. William B. Muse, 611 First Street; and 5. Mr. J. B. Travis, 401 Fifth Street. Councilman Reed, in expressing favor of the Mayor's committee-idea suggestion as well as (of) representation of all of the City, urged that this issue not become a "Black-White" -, situation, noting that several predominantly-white sections of the City do not have pre- cinct "representation" on Council; whereas, Vice-Mayor Oakes asked--and Council concurred-- that this matter be placed on Council's forthcoming September 27th agenda for further con- sideration and, perhaps, to design some course of action. Councilman West, while expressing agreement with Mayor Cole's comments with the exception to the suggestion that a study - committee be appointed, indicated that, in his opinion, a "Ward" system--in a compact city such as Martinsville-- would be detrimental; and, to any inference or conception that