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Charter Commission Meeting April 12, 2011 Page 3 DRAFT 86 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 87 88 Attorney Karen Marty expenses incurred — no new information. 89 90 Charter Amendments 91 Based on the Anoka County Elections and Voter Registration notice (January 2012) 92 Commissioner Trehus (?) believes there is a potential for the City Council to block Commission 93 amendments from going to ballot. Since there are potential legal questions involved, he believes 94 the Commission should seek advice from its attorney. 95 Commissioner Bartsch questioned whether Commissioner Trehus anticpated legal maneuvering. 96 CommissionerTrehus referenced recent articles in the Quad Press by Nicholas Bacchus that 97 suggested there could be attempts to block the legislation going to ballot. 98 Commissioner Bartsch clarified that he considers it important to seek a legal opinion which could 99 guide the actions of the Commission. 100 Chair Lyden noted that as directed at the last Commission meeting he requested from the attorney 101 the fees she would charge for reviewing the ballot language for two amanedments and was given 102 a $300 charge. 103 Commissioner Helgemoe asked what is the remaining budget for legal fees. Commissioner 104 Lyden indicates it is $720.00 105 '06 Update on Task Force. Commissioner Trehus noted that since the discussion at the January 107 2012 meeting where the motion to participate on the joint task force was defeated there have 108 been a number of subsequent actions. He continues to question why the Council was asking for a 109 task force and why the commission was given only three seats. He expressed his perspective that 110 the outcome was predetermined. 111 Since Mayor Reinert was in attendance at the meeting, Commissioner Storberg asked if the 112 usual rules could be suspended to ask for the the Mayor's perspective. 113 MOTION by Commissioner Storberg, seconded by Commissioner Penn to suspend the regular 114 process of calling a special meeting so that the commissioners could have a discussion with the 115 Council members present at the meeting. 116 Commissioner Sutherland commented that it was perhaps premature to have a discussion and 117 that the Commission can ask for a joint meeting. 118 Motion was defeated. 119 120 Charter Exempt Zones. Commissioner Bretoi stated that he was concerned about information 121 in the Quad Press regarding tax exempt zones. In July 2008 the Commission had proposed the 122 issue be handled by ordinance since both the Council and the Commission were in agreement. 123 Commissioner Dahl indcated that at that time a decision was made not to proceed with the 124 changes but that it has been resurected. Commissioner Bretoi questioned why the issue has to go 125 to ballot since there as aleady a record of agreement that it could be handled by ordinance. 126 MOTION by Commissioner Bretoi, seconded by Commissioner Timm that the Chair ,..127 communicate formally to the Council to have the charter exempt zones be implemented by 128 ordinance. 3