I I think residents are here tonight to if they're going to address the council about the special election discussion, and I think it'd be good to hear from them before we have our discussion, so maybe take that into consideration.

Mr. Ruby, our our based on emails we have received, we can take no action today. So, we're sitting with them. We we can listen to them, but we cannot take any action.

This is a special meeting of of the city council... The notice of the special meeting said it was for discussion of the 2026 special election. As such, that is the only topic that is allowed to be discussed.

As residents, we feel that we should be able to elect our government officials and have a voice. So, we respectfully ask council to honor the original vote and the council member Swenson's term ends as originally planned and that his seat remain vacant for the November and December meetings. That way, the residents can have their say and vote in the November elections.

I am addressing you to take full responsibility for an error that I made in my role as city clerk. I missed the deadline required to post a notice of a special election so that it could be conducted in conjunction with the November general election... This mistake was my own.

Their Their position on this... They said they recommended that the election special election be vacated, means revoke, and that Councilman Swenson continue to serve for the remainder of the term beginning of the year... And that ultimately is what the judge ordered.

So So what's the point of of the statute being written the way that it is if somebody's just If If somebody's just going to say, 'Well, that's just that's nonsense.' and and not rule in favor of the residents, you know, so what we The situation we have is we have we have non-residents making decisions uh for how our city's going to be run.

The judge specifically saying conducting a special election concurrently with the November 2026 general election would create substantial voter confusion and administrative complications... I would hope that we can at least use that as a lesson that if there's another special election for the city that we don't you don't pick uh the the November of the November of the year of a general election.

I would much prefer to have a special election on the ballot this November than have people have negative feelings about me sitting in this seat and election being canceled. So, all things if I got to wave a magic wand, a special election would happen. But, it it was a mistake. Natalie is owning it.