A proposal that has been brought forward in Minneapolis would completely change the way the City Council looks and operates.

It involves reducing the number of wards and going to more of an at-large system.

Currently, the city is divided into 13 wards of roughly equal population. A council member is elected from each of those 13 wards.

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But Tom Basting submitted a proposal to the charter commission looking to change that.

'Conform to the existing system for school board and parks and rec board,' he said.

Each of those boards has six district representatives and three at-large members.

'By going to a combined system, you maintain that ward focus,' Basting said. 'You maintain that ward analysis, ward interest. But you also add a number of at-large people that would have a city-wide focus.'

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS compared the structure of the Minneapolis City Council with councils in other cities of a similar size.

Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon said it's a system that would take a while to implement because it involves redrawing district lines.

And four council members would lose seats.

'I do think it's the kind of issue that should go to the voters before we amend the charter,' Gordon said.

The plan also calls for the president of the City Council be elected from council members at-large.