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Petitioners say they turned in 614 signatures to force ordinance preserving Eastside Park
Summary
Petitioners told the council they submitted 614 signatures to the city clerk seeking an ordinance to preserve green space at Eastside Park; they described verification thresholds and three options for council response and raised a concern about a missing clerk 'received' stamp.
A group of petitioners told the Morris City Council they delivered 614 signatures to the city clerk as part of a proposed citizen-initiated ordinance aimed at preserving Eastside Park.
"We collected 614 signatures," the petitioner said, explaining the figure and telling council members that under the city charter they had been instructed to gather 257 signatures to trigger the petition process. She said that, after verification, the council would have three choices: accept the ordinance, reject it (which could lead to a special election), or engage in a one‑on‑one 'let's talk' process with the petitioners.
The petitioner asked the council to verify the submitted signatures and noted they had prepared receipts. She also described a problem encountered when collecting a receipt: according to her account, the city clerk office could not provide the same 'received' stamp that had been used on the earlier ordinance filing. "We were told that she had no such stamp as was used on the ordinance," the petitioner said, urging the council to ensure the clerk's office has proper receipt procedures.
Council members asked whether the proposed ordinance language had been publicly posted. Petitioners replied that collectors showed the ordinance to signers when collecting signatures. City manager Becca agreed to email a copy of the ordinance to council members for review.
The petitioner summarized how the ordinance would operate if enacted: it would allow any five electors to bring a court action if changes reduced the park's green space below a stated threshold (95% of current green space in the ordinance as described to council), giving private citizens standing to seek injunctive relief. Council members said they will review the submitted signatures once the city clerk completes verification; no formal council action on the ordinance occurred during the meeting.
The matter remains on track for council review once the clerk completes verification and provides a report to the council.
