10-13-2011 Charter Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Rough Draft #2 Charter History In the 70's and 80's Lino Lakes experienced a development spurt that saw many projects approved over the objections of local residents. One of those projects was on Lake Drive that would rally the citizens over the costs of the assessments not only for the benefited land owners but tax levies for the citizens in Lino Lakes. At a public hearing for this project approximately 600 people tried to attend the public hearing but because of city hall being too small it was moved to St. Joseph's Church. Even though approximately 800 people, as reported by the Circulating Pines Newspaper were against the project and only a couple of dozen were for it, the city council still passed it. Faced with this project and discovering that a City Council has absolute power to approve any project they deem necessary regardless of citizen input decided to form an incorporated group called Citizens for Responsive Government to fight the development. This group hired an attorney and successfully fought to stop the project, and to this day in 2011, it hasn't been done. Also they researched the possibility of having a Charter Government in Lino Lakes to give the citizens a vote in future assessable projects. On August 7, 1981, according to state law, district court judge James Knutsen established the commission and appointed the commission members when a group of city residents petitioned the court for the group's formation. The commission has the power to draft a city charter, a framing document that works as a constitution under which the city would operate. After the charter was drafted, a signed petition was given to City Hall to have its approval put on the ballot. A special election was held on the 12th of January in 1982, and the Charter was overwhelmingly passed by an 87% margin. To this day every attempt to delete Sec. 8 of the Charter (property and municipal improvements) of its power has failed by 70 — 80 percent of the voters. Because of the hard work of the Volunteer Charter Commissioners and citizens for almost 30 years, we still have the right to vote on certain improvement projects in Lino Lakes. The city has grown from 2,000 in 1982 to over 20,216 in 2011. There still is a need to protect property owners from projects that might not be good for their neighborhood as well as giving them a voice to have projects put in that they might need in the future. This particular Charter in Lino Lakes is the voice of the people that can be heard BETWEEN election days. Charter Government for Lino Lakes in 2011 works for citizens as it did in 1982. It gives the people the power of Initiative, Referendum, and Recall and the ability to vote on special improvements in Lino Lakes.