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Charter Commission meeting <br />April 12, 2012 <br />Page 3 <br />91 UNFINISHED BUSINESS <br />92 <br />93 Attorney Karen Marty expenses incurred — no new information. <br />94 <br />95 Charter Amendments <br />96 Based on the Anoka County Elections and Voter Registration notice (January 2012) <br />97 Commissioner Trehus believes there is a potential for the City Council to attempt to block <br />98 Commission amendments from going to ballot. Since there are potential legal questions <br />99 involved, he believes the Commission should seek advice from its attorney. <br />100 Commissioner Bartsch questioned whether Commissioner Trehus anticpated legal manoevering. <br />101 CommissionerTrehus referenced recent articles in the Quad Press by Nicholas Bacchus that <br />102 suggested there could be attempts to block the legislation going to ballot. <br />103 Commissioner Bartsch clarified that he considers it important to seek a legal opinion which could <br />104 guide the actions of the Commission. <br />105 Chair Lyden noted that as directed at the last Commission meeting he requested from the attorney <br />106 the fees she would charge for reviewing the ballot language for two amanedments and was given <br />107 a $300 charge. <br />108 Commissioner Helgemoe asked what is the remaining budget for legal fees. Commissioner <br />109 Lyden indicates it is $720.00 <br />110 <br />111 Update on Task Force. Commissioner Trehus noted that since the discussion at the January <br />112 2012 meeting where the motion to participate on the joint task force was defeated there have <br />113 been a number of subsequent actions. <br />114 Since Mayor Reinert was in attendance at the meeting, Commissioner Storberg asked if the <br />115 ususal rules could be suspended to ask for the the Mayor's perspective. <br />116 MOTION by Commissioner Storberg, seconded by Commissioner Penn to suspend the regular <br />117 process of calling a special meeting so that the commissioners could have a discussion with the <br />118 Council members present at the meeting. <br />119 Commissioner Sutherland commented that it was perhaps premature to have a discussion and <br />120 that the Commission can ask for a joint meeting. <br />121 Motion was defeated. <br />122 <br />123 Charter Exempt Zones. Commissioner Bretoi stated that he was concerned about information <br />124 in the Quad Press regarding tax exempt zones. In July 2008 the Commission had proposed the <br />125 issue be handled by ordinance since both the Council and theCommission were in agreement. <br />126 Commissioner Dahl indcated that at that time a decision was made not to proceed with the <br />127 changes but that it has been resurected. Commissioner Bretoi questioned why the issue has to go <br />128 to ballot since there as aleady a record of agreement that it could be handled by ordinance. <br />129 MOTION by Commissioner Bretoi, seconded by Commissioner Timm that the Chair <br />130 communicate formally to the Council to have the charter exempt zones be implemented by <br />131 ordinance. <br />132 Commissioner Sutherland asked if the langauge (from the July 17, 2008 minutes) could be made <br />133 available to all commission members. <br />134 The mover and seconder agreed to withdraw their motion until the pertiment minutes could be <br />135 provided to other commissioners. <br />3 <br />