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2 <br />6. A Mayor Reinert's response to Section 3.01 of the Lino Lakes Charter <br />Mayor Reinert addressed the Commission regarding Section 3.01 of the Lino Lakes Charter and <br />citizen's right to speak on agenda items at public council meetings. Reinert was asked to the <br />meeting to explain why a person attending the January 11, 2010 council meeting was not allowed <br />to speak and why he said they would be taking no public comment. <br />Mayor Reinert explained that he knew the person who asked to speak, that he was a <br />Union Rep. and that he was not a resident of Lino Lakes. Reinert said he should have <br />explained at that time that the person was not allowed to speak because he was not a <br />Lino Lakes resident and that Lino Lakes residents would be allowed to speak on agenda <br />items Comm. Drennen asked Mayor Reinert if he had contacted the PRESS to clarify <br />why the person was not allowed to speak? Mayor Reinert said no clarification had <br />been made. Comm.Lyden is concerned that residents living on Lino Lakes borders <br />would not be allowed to address issues that would have an effect on them due to <br />happenings in Lino Lakes. Mayor Reinert said that due to the sensitivity of the topic <br />with this particular situation, with a Union Rep., he felt it was not the best way to <br />resolve this situation. With border issues, such as the Vikings or Airport he may handle <br />the situation same way, with only residents allowed to speak. Comm. Lyden said he <br />is concerned that the Mayor is determining what the person is going to say even before <br />they speak. Mayor Reinert stated the person was not allowed to speak because he is not <br />a resident. Comm. Sutherland addressed the issue that our charter does not have exclusive <br />language that the definition of the word citizen is meant to be only residents of Lino <br />Lakes Comm. Trehus suggested that the in the charter the word citizen would probably be a <br />citizen of just Lino Lakes. Comm. Dahl stated the person should have been allowed to talk and <br />that the right to speak at public meetings should not be restricted to Lino Lakes citizens only. <br />Comm. Drennen had three issues he would like to address. What is the definition of the word <br />citizen in our charter? He is also concerned that the Mayor exercised his prerogative because he <br />knew what the person might say and that the Mayor does not use his position of authority to <br />censor speaking. Mayor Reinert assured that there will be no censorship of Lino Lakes citizens. <br />Comm. Carlson stated that he was satisfied with the Mayors explanation of the issue and that it <br />had addressed his concerns. Due to the question of the term citizen in our charter, we will make a <br />formal request to determine if citizen is meant to be inclusive of Lino Lakes residents only. <br />6. B Attorney Bills <br />Chair Dahl and Comm. Trehus asked Mayor Reinert to address the on going issue of the council <br />taking the position that they will not pay our attorney's bill. Mayor Reinert said he is only one of <br />the five persons on the council that decides the issue. He would like to address the issue at a joint <br />meeting. The City attorney would be asked to address this. Also, the council has been directed by <br />their attorney that it would not be legal to authorize payment of this bill. Comm. Sutherland said <br />that the position taken by the city is that they will pay for frame and amend only. Most of our <br />attorney's bill is due to our need to respond to the audit initiated by the city council. We cannot <br />even include a professsional secretarial service because that would not be included in frame and <br />amend. Mayor Reinert said we could address our issue with the League of MN Cities. <br />Commissioner's comments were that this could be a biased source of information, as they are <br />being funded by the city. The League may just comment back to our city attorney. Mayor Reinert <br />