An Open Letter to the Residents of Little Falls

Regarding the Continuing Ward 1 Vacancy

Dear Residents of Little Falls,

While the vacancy exists in Ward 1, the issue affects the entire City. Every resident has an interest in ensuring that City government operates transparently, follows the City Charter, and provides equal representation to all wards. The integrity of local government depends upon those principles being applied consistently, regardless of who occupies a particular office or which ward is affected.

I believe it is important that all residents are aware of the current status of representation within Ward 1 and the continuing vacancy that affects our City government.

Ward 1 currently has only one sitting Common Council representative despite the City’s structure providing for two representatives per ward. As a result, Ward 1 residents currently have less representation on the Common Council than residents of the other wards within the City.

At the most recent Common Council meeting, Rebecca Ingersoll, a qualified person, was considered for appointment to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat. The appointment was not approved, and the vacancy remains. Earlier this year, another Ward 1 resident, Kathy Ballerstein, was also nominated to fill the vacancy and was likewise not approved. In both instances, the vacancy remained unresolved. To the best of my knowledge, no public explanation was provided regarding the qualifications of either nominee or the reasons for the denial of either appointment. 

The City Charter addresses how vacancies are to be filled. Section 212 of the 1991 City Charter states:

“Except as otherwise specifically provided by State Law, if a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than by expiration of term in any elective City office, the Mayor with the consent of the Common Council shall appoint a person to fill such vacancy until the end of the calendar year in which such vacancy shall occur, or if the vacancy occurs after the 20th day of September, until the end of the next succeeding calendar year.”

The Charter further provides:

“All vacancies in City Offices shall be filled within 60 days.”

The vacancy in Ward 1 has now existed through multiple appointment attempts, leaving residents with only one council representative while other wards continue to have two. This raises several questions that all residents, particularly those in Ward 1, may wish to consider:

• Why does Ward 1 continue to have only one representative while the City’s other wards have full representation?
• Why does Ward 1 continue to remain without full representation despite multiple attempts to appoint qualified Ward 1 residents to fill the vacancy?
• What factors were considered in the Council’s decision not to approve the nominations?
• What concerns, if any, were raised regarding the nominees that led to the appointments not being approved?
• What criteria are being used to evaluate candidates for the vacant Ward 1 seat?
• Why was no public explanation provided for the denial of either nomination?
• What steps are being taken to ensure compliance with the City Charter’s requirement that vacancies be filled within 60 days?
• What is the plan and timeline for restoring full representation to the residents of Ward 1?

These are reasonable questions for residents to ask of their elected representatives and for City government to address openly, transparently, and with accountability to the people they serve.

The Common Council’s responsibility is not only to govern, but to ensure that every resident has a voice in that process. Council members are elected to represent the interests of their constituents and to serve the residents of the City as a whole. When a ward remains without full representation despite multiple appointment attempts and a clear directive within the City Charter to fill vacancies, residents have every right to ask whether their interests are being adequately represented, whether the needs of their constituents are being placed above politics, and whether the appointment process is being guided primarily by the interests of Ward 1 residents and the requirements of the City Charter.

My purpose in writing is not to attack or criticize any individual. Rather, it is to ensure that residents are informed of the continuing vacancy and understand how it affects representation within our City. Regardless of political affiliation, every resident deserves to know when their ward is operating without full representation.

Residents expect their elected representatives to act in the best interests of the community, communicate their decisions openly, exercise independent judgment, and remain accountable to the people who elected them. Transparency and public trust are essential to effective local government.

I encourage residents to attend Common Council meetings, review meeting minutes, read the City Charter, and communicate with their elected officials regarding this matter. Public participation and transparency are essential to effective local government.

An informed public is essential to good government.

Respectfully,

A Concerned Citizen
Ward 1 Resident