City Council Minutes 1989 06 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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EXHIBIT B Louisville City Council Meeting, June 6, 1989 Mr. Mayor, Members of the City Council: I come before you as a sponsor of a Petition for Referendum to reverse the Hillandale Annexation. On April 20th, the City Council passed the Hillandale Annexation, which would allow a dump to be built west of Superior. On May 13th, a group opposed to the dump, Citizens for the Future of Louisville, began to circulate a referendum petition to reverse the annexation. By May 19th, 570 signatures had been collected (345 signatures were required). On May 19th, at a special meeting, the Louisville City Council passed Resolution 15 calling for an election on July 11th whereby citizens would reject or approve the Hillandale Annexation. (Technically the earliest possible date for an election under the law would be July 25th.) On May 23rd, Citizens for the Future of Louisville, filed the Referendum Petition with 570 signatures at the Louisville City Clerk's office. We have two concerns about Resolution 15. 1. It is a fundamental right of citizens, guaranteed by the Constitution, to petition their government for redress of grievances. We are concerned that Resolution 15 did usurp the rights of people who signed the Petition far Referendum, and did interrupt the normal statutory process by which citizens may influence their government -- in this case reverse an ordinance to annex Hillandale. 2. It may be argued that Resolution 15 does not provide the City of Louisville with the same protections from legal action by Waste Management of Colorado or by landowners that is clearly provided by the Petition for Referendum. We request that in order to meet these concerns, the City Council resolve to call an election under the authority of the Petition for Referendum. ~~~~